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Moga gangster, four aides arrested after shootout in Kharar
A team of organised crime control unit of Punjab police in a joint operation with Mohali and Jagraon police managed to corner five men in the apartment, who initially opened fire on them
As gunshots echoed and terrified residents locked themselves in their apartments, a housing society in Kharar was the scene of a dramatic police encounter on Friday in which Gangster Navdeep Singh Navi alias John Buttar from Moga was injured and four of his accomplices were arrested.
Acting on a tipoff, a team of organised crime control unit (OCCU) of Punjab police headed by additional inspector general (AIG) Gurmeet Singh Chauhan in a joint operation with Mohali and Jagraon police reached Aman Homes at 3pm.
The gangsters opened fire at the policemen as they attempted to break open the locked door of the apartment in the society where they were hiding, Chauhan said.
As the police team returned fire, Buttar received two bullet injuries in his legs.
According to Punjab director general of police, Dinkar Gupta, besides two 9 mm pistols, a .30 bore, a 32 bore and two .315 bore pistols and 20 cartridges of different calibre were recovered from the men.
Wanted in over 18 criminal cases
Gupta said Buttar was wanted in over 18 criminal cases of murder, attempt to murder, dacoity and extortion. He was also accused of firing on the associates of Shinder Singh, ex-sarpanch and had uploaded videos on Facebook claiming responsibility for the same and threatening action against Shinder Singh.
Police also said he was the main accused in a firing incident at Buttar Kalan village in the recent past.
The others arrested included Kulwinder Singh, Parminder Singh alias Pinda, all residents of Buttar Kalan village in Moga, and Amritpal Singh and Amrik Singh, both residents of Samrala in Ludhiana.
Buttar, according to reports, was first taken to the Civil Hospital in Kharar, from where he was referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh.
Mohali superintendent of police (investigation) Harmandeep Hans, who was also present with the team, said, “ We learnt that the gangster John was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) in a case registered in 2012. Investigations are continuing.”
DSP, OCCU, Bikramjit Singh Brar said the encounter lasted for over five minutes in which around 10 gunshots were fired.
Hired apartment 10 days ago from a broker
Investigations have revealed that the gangsters had rented the Aman Homes apartment 10 days ago through a broker named Mani. They were referred to Mani by another woman named Priyanka.
Apartment owner Harcharan Singh, it was learnt, had not got his tenants verified by the police.
According to police, Mani had been asking the gangsters for their photographs for verification but the men had avoided doing so even though they had filled out the forms.
Mani and Priyanka will also be included in the investigations.
The arrested men will be produced in a local court tomorrow and their police remand sought.
An FIR was registered at the Sadar police station in Kharar under sections 307, 353, 186, 120B of the Indian Penal Code and Section 25 of the Arms Act against the five men.
Palwinder Singh alias Pinda was also a proclaimed offender in the murder of gangster Kuldeep Singh alias Keepa registered at the Badni Kalan police station, Moga.
Amrik Singh had narcotics and liquor smuggling cases registered against him. Similarly, Amritpal Singh has previously been booked in liquor smuggling cases, DGP Gupta added.
Tension in Kharar society
Meanwhile, residents of Aman Homes spent two to three hours locked indoors as gunshots rang out in the society. “As we heard the firing and saw a large number of policemen milling around, we locked ourselves indoors and came out after an hour,” said Bhupinder Singh, a local resident.
Jaspal Singh, another resident, said: “When I switched on the TV, I was shocked to see the footage of my society in the news channels about the encounter. Policemen had surrounded the society and we were petrified when we heard the gunshots.”
