Three of burglary gang held after gunfight on Delhi’s Ring Road

Deputy commissioner of police(south) Atul Thakur said the three men were “desperate burglars” who collectively have at least 130 cases of robbery and burglary against them.

A shoot-out was reported on Wednesday afternoon from the busy Ring Road after a police team chasing three suspected burglars in a car exchanged gunfire with them outside the Hanuman Temple near the Kashmere Gate inter state bus terminal (ISBT) in north Delhi. Police said the men were arrested following the gunfight.

In the past few days, the three burgled at least 10 houses, police said. Police are now on the lookout for a jeweller, who allegedly helped the gang dispose of the stolen jewellery. (Getty Images. Representative image)

Deputy commissioner of police(south) Atul Thakur said the three men were “ desperate burglars” who collectively have at least 130 cases of robbery and burglary against them.

Narrating the sequence of events, DCP Thakur said a team of police officers from Kotla Mubarakpur began following the three men from Andrews Ganj in south Delhi, about 21km from where the shoot-out eventually took place.

“The three men were desperate burglars who mostly targeted empty flats in colonies. This morning, they struck at the police colony in Andrews Ganj. We had been tracking this gang for some days when we received information about their location in Andrews Ganj. They were in a WagonR car and our team began following them for at least 19-20km towards north Delhi,” said DCP Thakur.

Near ISBT Kashmere Gate, they came upon an open road and the police team decided to get the car to stop and its occupants to surrender. “Around 12.35pm, the team overtook the WagonR near Hanuman Nagar and brought it to a stop. The three men tried to flee on foot. One of them, identified as Anwar alias Anu, took out a countrymade pistol and fired at the police. Police returned the fire, injuring the suspect in his leg,” he said, adding that the three were arrested from the spot.

Police investigation has revealed that Anwar, 38, has at least 70 cases against him. The other two men were identified as Manirul Ishrifil, 24, Rafiq alias Luka, 24, and all three are residents of a slum colony in north west Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. Maniral has 23 cases against him while Rafiq is named in 30 cases, police said.

In the past few days, the three burgled at least 10 houses, police said. Police are now on the lookout for a jeweller, who allegedly helped the gang dispose of the stolen jewellery.