Family of alleged peddler attacks police, four cops injured

New Delhi: Out to arrest an alleged drug peddler who was involved in three dozen other crimes, four policemen were injured when the relatives and neighbours of the

New Delhi: Out to arrest an alleged drug peddler who was involved in three dozen other crimes, four policemen were injured when the relatives and neighbours of the suspect attacked them with bricks and chilli powder in a bid to rescue him in north Delhi’s Gulabi Bagh on Friday afternoon, the police said.

HT Image

The injured policemen, however, managed to hold on to the suspect, Rajeev, who too ended up with injuries in the rescue bid, said Anto Alphonse, deputy commissioner of police (north).

Rajeev turned out not only to be involved in drug deals, he was also wanted for an armed robbery with a commuter in Karol Bagh in February earlier this year, the officer said.

Police said that they were working on a tip-off that Rajeev could be found in his house in Andha Mughal neighbourhood of Gulabi Bagh.

“When we reached the neighbourhood, we found him sitting on a cot outside his house. When we tried to catch him, he pulled out a pistol and fired at us,” said Alphonse.

The bullet missed its mark and the police were able to overpower him before he could fire the next round, the officer said.

“It was then that his relatives and neighbours began pelting bricks, stones and glasses at us. Some of them even threw chilli powder at the policemen, temporarily blinding them,” the DCP said.

Two assistant sub-inspectors, a head constable and a constable were injured in the attack and their car was allegedly vandalised.

But the injured policemen continued to hold on to Rajeev until reinforcement arrived. Police said they were working to identify the individuals involved in the attack on the policemen.