Nigerian drug runner suspect breaks through police barricades, injures cop

Police said the man hit three vehicles, including two police vans, while trying to reverse his car and flee the police and a team from the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) in Gurugram, which set up the barricade after receiving specific information that a huge consignment of cocaine will be smuggled into Gurugram by a foreigner from Delhi

A suspected Nigerian drug runner allegedly fled the police and a narcotics bureau team on Sunday after ramming through the barricades put up at Shankar Chowk in DLF Phase-2 in his car and almost ran over a policeman, who escaped with multiple fractures, the police said on Tuesday.

A 14-member team of HSNCB, led by inspector Ashok Kumar, set up a barricade near Shankar Chowk to stop the suspect when the incident took place at 11.55pm on Sunday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Police said the man hit three vehicles, including two police vans, while trying to reverse his car and flee the police and a team from the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) in Gurugram, which set up the barricade after receiving specific information that a huge consignment of cocaine will be smuggled into Gurugram by a foreigner from Delhi, police said.

They said that the consignment delivery was to take place near CyberHub.

A 14-member team of HSNCB, led by inspector Ashok Kumar, set up a barricade near Shankar Chowk to stop the suspect when the incident took place at 11.55pm on Sunday.

According to the police, the suspected drug smuggler first stopped his Toyota Corolla sedan on noticing the barricades, and then accelerated and rammed a police vehicle and a cab after breaking through the barricades.

They said he reversed the car and rammed one more police vehicle at the spot which was placed to block his movement before fleeing the spot.

Investigators said Sombir, head constable of the HSNCB team, was injured after the suspect vehicle hit him near the barricades.

“Sombir stepped in front of the Corolla with the intention of making the driver hit the brakes. But the driver kept accelerating and hit him.He would have been run over had he not jumped out of the way. Sombir was rushed to a hospital in DLF Phase-3 for treatment and doctors said he sustained multiple fractures and bruises,” a senior officer said, preferring anonymity.

Investigators said the suspect came from Delhi and fled towards the same direction after the incident. “He was alone in the car and he suddenly accelerated his car sensing trouble,” an officer said, adding that the HSNCB team chased the suspect but he managed to escape.

Inspector Kumar, who led the team, said, “An FIR was registered at DLF Phase-2 police station after the incident.”

Inspector Satender Singh, station house officer, DLF Phase-2, said they are trying to trace the suspect. “He was probably acting independently. But another Nigerian was arrested with 160 grams of heroin near Kherki Daula toll plaza on the night of October 3,” he said.

On the injured constable’s complaint, an FIR was registered against the suspect under sections 186 (obstructing any public servant in the discharge of his duty), 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 353 (assault or criminal force) of the Indian Penal Code at DLF Phase-2 station, said police.