4 robbers held after encounter in Punjab’s border town of Patti; fifth dies of drug overdose

Four robbers were arrested after an hour-long encounter on the outskirts of Patti town in Tarn Taran district on Monday morning. Police said the fifth member of the gang died due to suspected drug overdose during the encounter.

More than 100 rounds of fire were exchanged in the encounter that left two policemen and the four accused wounded with bullet injuries. All injured are undergoing treatment at Patti civil hospital.

The incident took place at 11am when the accused were on their way from Patti to Tarn Taran, the police said, adding the accused, who faced around 50 criminal cases in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, had committed six robberies in the past 24 hours.

WEAPONS, DRUGS SEIZED FROM ACCUSED

Those arrested have been identified as Gurjinder Singh of Manakpura village, Rajbir Singh, alias Raju, of Chohla Sahib, Fateh Singh of Bhikhiwind, and Jagjit Singh, alias Jaggi, of Naushehra Pannuan village. The fifth member, who died during the encounter, was identified as Gurmeet Singh, alias Gopi, of Jatta village in Tarn Taran.

Though all four arrested accused were injured, Gurmeet was not harmed physically. All accused are in their 30s, the police said, adding that three sophisticated country-made pistols, narcotics, including opium, smack and intoxicated pills, and two cars, a Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and a Renault Pulse, were confiscated.

Constables Sarabjit Singh and Bikramjit Singh are undergoing treatment.

SPATE OF ROBBERIES, CARJACKING

Senior superintendent of police Dhruman H Nimbale said robberies were reported from petrol stations in Tarn Taran on Sunday. Two of incidents of carjacking were reported at Sarhali and Chohla Sahib on Monday morning. “We had information that the accused were on their way from Patti to Tarn Taran. A team led by station house officer (SHO) Patti city, Lakhbir Singh confronted the accused at which they opened fire in which constable Sarabjit Singh, who was driving the car, was hit by a bullet in his rib. After this, our team caught two of the five accused,” said the SSP.

He said, “Three of the five accused fled and hid in Mahi resort near Kairon village. The area was cordoned off and a heavy police force from the district, including the superintendent of police (SP) and deputy superintendent of police (DSP), was deployed to arrest the accused. They continued firing from their hideout in the palace towards the police team. Around 80 rounds were fired.”

On Sunday, the accused had looted three petrol stations and a car at gunpoint. The petrol pump at Bhikhiwind was looted in which an employee was shot at by the accused.

A case was registered at Patti city police station.