Delhi: Cop injured during encounter with robbers in Mahipalpur

Head constable Naresh suffered cuts and his service pistol was snatched during a brief gunfight in the early hours of Friday at NH-8 Aerocity police picket in south Delhi’s Mahipalpur

A Delhi Police head constable suffered cuts and his service pistol was snatched during a brief gunfight in the early hours of Friday at NH-8 Aerocity police picket in south Delhi’s Mahipalpur with a group of robbers travelling in an Eeco van that was involved in two recent robberies in Ghitorni near Vasant Kunj, police said.

The incident took place when two head constables were chasing a group of robbers travelling in an Eeco van that was involved in two recent robberies in Ghitorni near Vasant Kunj, police said. (HT Photo)

The suspects fled with the policeman’s gun after ramming iron barricades at the picket, the police said.

“Head constable Naresh suffered cuts to his hand due to the broken windowpane of the car that was shattered during a scuffle that he had with one of the car’s occupants. Naresh was holding the gun. As the driver of the van suddenly accelerated, Naresh was dragged, and his gun was snatched by occupants seated inside the vehicle,” said a police officer, who asked not to be named.

The officer said that Naresh, along with head constable Vivek, both posted at Vasant Vihar North police station, were chasing the van after they were alerted by a team of the southwest district police that the vehicle was involved in two robberies in Ghitorni area last month. The two head constables were in Ghitorni in their private car when they received the alert around 1.30am.

“The two policemen quickly got down from their car and rushed to the van. They surrounded the van. Head constable Naresh grabbed one of the van’s occupants through the window and during the scuffle its windowpane broke. One bullet was fired from inside the van, but the policemen escaped unhurt. Head constable Vivek fired one bullet in retaliation, but it did not hurt anyone,” said the officer.

While the two head constables were trying to nab the occupants of the van, the truck moved and created enough space for the miscreants to escape. The driver of the van accelerated the vehicle, rammed the barricades and fled.

Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Manoj C said that head constable Naresh sustained injuries in the scuffle with one of the occupants and later found his pistol missing when the vehicle sped away.

“Naresh was taken to Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. We have registered a case of attempt to murder, assaulting policemen on duty and causing injury during robbery. Multiple teams are looking for the suspects and the van,” added the DCP.