Wanted man held after shoot-out near Dwarka Expressway

Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said the suspect allegedly shot a person dead in Rajasthan in 2019 and robbed an aluminium factory, holding the security guards hostage

Gurugram Police arrested a 27-year-old man late on Tuesday night who is allegedly wanted in at least 12 cases registered in Haryana and neighbouring states. The man was apprehended near Dwarka Expressway after an hour-long chase and shoot-out, police said. The cases filed against him involve murder, loot, dacoity, kidnapping, fraud, and possession of illegal arms.

The suspect has been identified as Mohit Kumar, a native of Charkhi Dadri. According to cops, Gurugram police recently announced a ₹20,000 bounty for his arrest (Representative image)

The suspect has been identified as Mohit Kumar, a native of Charkhi Dadri. According to cops, Gurugram police recently announced a ₹20,000 bounty for his arrest. Kumar sustained a gunshot wound during the encounter and was admitted to Civil Hospital in Sector 10. Two constables were also injured when he rammed his motorbike into the barricades set up by police. Narender Chauhan, officer-in-charge, crime investigation unit 17, narrowly escaped being shot as two bullets fired by the suspect grazed his shoulder, police said.

Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said the suspect allegedly shot a person dead in Rajasthan in 2019 and robbed an aluminium factory, holding the security guards hostage. He reportedly shot at police officers to evade arrest during the robbery. “Kumar was also wanted by Rajasthan police for an alleged robbery of gold coins. There were nine cases registered against him in Kherki Daula, Badshahpur, Bhondsi, Sectors 17 and 18, and Bajghera police stations.”

“He was wanted for the past two years and kept shifting his base. He formed a gang of six members in 2014 and was active in Haryana and Rajasthan since then,” Sangwan added.

According to Chauhan, police received a tip-off about Kumar following which teams were prepped to apprehend him. “We anticipated that he would be armed so police personnel were fitted with bulletproof jackets. We also set up barricades and checkpoints to surveil motorcycle riders.” Sangwan said one of the teams led by inspector Chauhan was on patrol near the drain when a policeman spotted a motorbike without a number plate. “The rider matched the information provided by the informer and the team asked him to stop as soon as he reached the barricade. However, he sped away after ramming into the barricades,” he said.

Following this, the police team blocked the road and trapped him. The suspect then opened fire at the cops and tried to flee towards Delhi. He was apprehended after a long chase. “Chauhan sustained a bullet injury to his right leg in retaliatory fire,” Chauhan informed. Police recovered one country-made pistol, three live cartridges and a motorbike from his possession. A case under sections 186 (voluntarily obstructs public servant in discharge of duty), (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault on public servant), 307 (attempt to murder) and (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of the Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Arms Act was registered against him at Bajghera police station on Wednesday morning. Police said Kumar will be questioned after he is discharged from the hospital.