Gang open fires at prison van to free two undertrial inmates, police arrest 3 after encounter

An assistant sub-inspector was injured when a group of at least seven suspected criminals allegedly opened fire at a prison van and fled with two undertrial prisoners.

An assistant sub-inspector was injured when a group of at least seven suspected criminals allegedly opened fire at a prison van and fled with two undertrial prisoners. The incident took place on Gurugram-Faridabad Road on Saturday, said the police. The city police chased the group and managed to arrest three persons, including one of the undertrial prisoners, after an encounter in Sikrona village in Faridabad. The entire operation lasted for half an hour.

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The police said the arrested suspects are said to be members of Raju Basodi gang, which used to operate from Tihar jail and had thrown chilli powder on Gurugram police personnel, a few years ago. Two of their accomplices were lodged inside Bhondsi jail for their alleged involvement in over two dozen criminal cases.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Naresh Sethi, Kapil and Sandeep alias Kala Jatheri. As per the police, Sandeep was the undertrial prisoner who had managed to flee from police custody.

KK Rao, the commissioner of Faridabad police, said the incident took place near Hanuman Mandir on Gurugram-Faridabad Road around 3.24pm. He said five police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector, were escorting seven undertrial prisoners from Faridabad court to Bhondsi jail when three cars, which were following them, fired at the van and punctured its tyres. They then intercepted the van and allegedly fired more than 150 gunshots at the police team. “An assistant sub-inspector was injured in the attack, while others managed a narrow escape. The group then freed two undertrial prisoners and escaped. The police team raised an alarm and immediately informed the crime teams of the incidents. The vehicles of the suspects hit the police barricade, after which they abandoned them and fled into the fields of Sikrona village,” Rao said.

More than 50 police personnel started combing the field and arrested three of the criminals after an encounter. Three of them received bullet injuries in their leg and shoulder and were rushed to a nearby hospital. The police said that their statements will be recorded once they are declared fit by doctors.

Rao said they have recovered 11 imported automatic pistols, one power pump gun and 150 cartridges, along with three vehicles, including two stolen Mahindra Scorpio SUVs.

The police said that one of the arrested men is Naresh Sethi, an alleged member of Raju Basodi gang, who used to operate from Tihar jail along with Sandeep alias Kala of Jatheri village in Sonipat. It was Sethi, who had planned to free two of their gang members from the police custody on their way to Bhondsi jail. During preliminary interrogation on Saturday, they allegedly confessed to have killed at least six men in the past couple of months.

Sethi, who earlier fled from the police custody in Delhi, had made more than 50 extortion calls and was demanding protection money from businessmen and industrialists.

All of the arrested criminals are history-sheeters and have various criminal charges against them, including robbery, murder, and dacoity. Sandeep was also imprisoned for one-and-a-half years for an attempt-to- murder case and was lodged in Bhondsi jail with two dozen murder and robbery charges against him. According to the police, the arms and ammunition were supplied to the gang by one Delhi resident, Tinku.

Rao also said that pistols worth more than 50 lakh were recovered from the gang, which were also allegedly involved in extorting money from businessmen and traders of Delhi and the neighbouring areas for the past several years.

Attempts are on to nab remaining suspects, said the police. Manoj Yadava , director-general of police, has announced a reward of ₹5 lakh, while KK Rao has also announced an additional reward ₹5 lakh for the crime team for their commendable work.