Nuh raid: Ex-councillor, mob attack police with stones, gunfire; 13 held

Police said Azaad’s aides even used a earth mover to block entry, while gunfire and stone-pelting lasted 20 minutes before reinforcements arrived to control the mob.

Five officials were left severely injured when a team of Nuh police was attacked during a raid in Punhana town of Haryana’s Nuh district with stones and gunfire allegedly by a former district councillor and his supporters, who is accused of organised vehicle lifting from other states, police said on Sunday, adding 13 suspects were arrested.

DSP Jitender Rana said a special force from three Nuh stations will pursue the prime accused, wanted in Punjab and Andhra Pradesh cases of vehicle theft and registration. (HT Archive)

The incident took place as the officials of a joint Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) team composed of Punhana and Tauru sub-divisions visited the premises of ex-councillor Azaad in Punhana’s Indana village on Saturday evening, officials said.

Following a tip-off, the police team was dispatched to intercept and recover a stolen vehicle from Punjab being transported to Azaad’s residence, said Jitender Rana, the deputy superintendent of police. “While the police team tried to enter his home, Azaad fired at a constable, with the bullet grazing his hand before passing by, narrowly missing him. He began shouting, provoking his neighbours and passersby. By then, a mob of his supporters gathered outside his home and started pelting stones at the police vehicles,” Rana added.

Officials said one of his supporters, Arshad parked a JCB machine in front of the accused’s residence to force a stop to their entry. Meanwhile, other supporters, Khalid and Waseem, kept firing at the police team with a rifle and a country-made pistol.

Officials said Azaad managed to flee the spot during the nearly 20 minutes of exchange of gunfire. “His accomplices opened fire when a large crowd gathered in his support. Within minutes, an additional police force was dispatched to the spot to bring the situation under control,” said Rana.

“An FIR was registered against them and other 60 unidentified supporters for attacking the cops under sections 109, (attempt to murder), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 121(2) (deter public servant from his duty), 132 (using criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 313 (punishment for belonging to gang of robbers) under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS),” said DSP Rana.

Among those arrested, three women were produced before a local court on Sunday and they were sent to judicial custody, he said. While preparations are underway to take others to police remand, the DSP said speedy action against Azaad will be taken by forming a special force of Ferozepur Jhirka, Punhana, and Tauru police stations.

“We’re in the process of the identification of his supporters, who assaulted police officials by throwing stones at them. The five personnel who were injured during the raid were rushed to the Nuh community health centre. They are currently in a stable condition and receiving treatment,” Rana said.

Azaad is a history sheeter, with multiple cases registered across states for vehicle theft and illegal registration and sale in Nuh, including three cases in Punjab and one in Andhra Pradesh, the DSP added.