ASI murdered in daylight shooting

An assistant sub inspector in Haryana police was killed when some armed men fired at the three-member police team escorting a criminal to a court in Mathura. The firing took place in Hodal area in district Palwal on Monday.

An assistant sub inspector in Haryana police was killed when some armed men fired at the three-member police team escorting a criminal to a court in Mathura. The firing took place in Hodal area in district Palwal on Monday.

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Led by ASI Om Prakash, the team was escorting Bachu Singh, a dreaded criminal of Kosi in Uttar Pradesh, to Mathura from Bhondsi Jail.

Bachu Singh was being taken to Mathura court in connection with three cases of attempt to murder, arms case, and theft case registered in Govardan police station in Mathura. He was in Bhondsi Jail in connection with a murder case in Palwal.

The team escorting the criminal boarded a Mathura-bound Haryana Roadways bus at Palwal on Monday.

When the bus stopped for refreshment outside a Haryana tourist complex at Dabchik near Hodal around 12.30pm, six armed men on three motorcycles appeared on the scene and fired indiscriminately at ASI Om Prakash.

Police said the criminals then snatched the ASI's weapon and fled the spot along with Bachu Singh.

The ASI, who was posted in Palwal, was especially sent to Bhondsi Jail to accompany Bachu Singh to Mathura on Monday.

Singh has about a dozen cases pending against him in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other states.

The critically injured ASI was rushed to a private hospital in Faridabad where he succumbed to the injuries.

Another policeman accompanying the prisoner was also injured. Senior police officers rushed to the spot and the police of both Haryana and Uttar Pradesh immediately launched a manhunt.

Hodal deputy superintendent of police Dharampal said, "Efforts are being made to nab the prisoner and those involved in today's shootout."