Delhi: Two suspected criminals held in Vikaspuri shootout

Both of them took one bullet each in their legs while two policemen were hit in their bulletproof vests following firing by the arrested men

Two suspected criminals were arrested after a brief chase and a gunfight in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri on Sunday night. Both of them took one bullet each in their legs while two policemen were hit in their bulletproof vests following firing by the arrested men. The two policemen escaped unhurt, Delhi Police said on Monday.

A case was registered against the duo and they were arrested. (Representational Image)

“The arrested criminals, Deepak alias Deepu and Surender alias Sheru, are members of Saddam alias Gauri’s gang. Deepak was also wanted in a case registered against him under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), 1999,” said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), (special cell), Delhi Police.

On Sunday evening, DCP Yadav said, the special cell team received an information that the two associates of Saddam would come to Vikaspuri to kill their rival.

Acting on the tip-off, the team laid a trap on the Ganda Nala road near Vikaspuri. Around 8 pm, the team members spotted Deepak and Surebder on a motorcycle.

“The police team ordered Deepak to stop and surrender but he accelerated the motorcycle and tried to flee. The police chased them. The two suspects’ motorcycle skidded off the road following the hot chase by the police. Though the team surrounded the suspects, the duo whipped out their guns and fired at the police personnel,” said DCP Yadav.

“Deepak fired two rounds of which one missed a constable, who was trying to apprehend the duo. His other bullet hit the bulletproof vest of a head constable. Surender fired one bullet that hit a sub-inspector (S-I) in his bulletproof vest. Our team members fired five bullets in self-defence. Deepak and Surender took one bullet each in their left and right leg. Both the policemen, who were shot at, are safe,” the DCP added.

The injured men were admitted to an adjoining hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. A case was registered against the duo and they were arrested.

Saddam aka Gauri is a close aide of jailed gangster Neeraj Bawana. He was arrested by the special cell team in Meerut following a shootout in October, 2019.

He was wanted in several criminal cases such as murder, attempts to murder, robberies, dacoities, snatching and also for attacking police personnel. He was also booked under MCOCA, 1999, Delhi Police said.