Two days after an ASI was shot dead by criminals near Phagwara, four suspects opened fire on a police party chasing them on city roads in broad daylight on Tuesday.
About 20 rounds each were fired from both sides, but nobody was injured in the encounter that took place at the railway crossing on the Dhapai road at about 4.30 pm.
The police managed to nab two persons along with firearms, including Ranbir Singh Rana and Jagroop Singh, while the other two, Bhatti and Balwinder alias Billa, managed to escape. Their car, a white Indigo, has been impounded.
The police recovered a .315-bore rifle, another .30-bore rifle, a .32-bore pistol and some cartridges from the car.
Talking to mediapersons here, additional deputy commissioner of police (crime) Harjit Singh Brar said, "There was an input that some persons were roaming in a car with weapons. Various police teams were formed to nab them, including one under the supervision of inspector Arwinder Singh of the CIA staff. Near Fatahpur, the police team led by inspector Arwinder signalled the car to stop, but the suspects sped away. The police started chasing the car, which stopped at a closed railway crossing. As soon as the police vehicle tried to intercept the car and nab the suspects, all four of them came out and opened fire on the police party. The police returned the fire, and about 20 rounds each were fired by both sides."
Brar said some bullets also hit the car of the suspects. He said the police team exercised a lot of restraint to see to it that the bystanders do not come in the line of fire as there were many people around at the railway crossing.
{{/usCountry}}Brar said some bullets also hit the car of the suspects. He said the police team exercised a lot of restraint to see to it that the bystanders do not come in the line of fire as there were many people around at the railway crossing.
{{/usCountry}}The preliminary probe has revealed that the four suspects were on their way to settle scores with a rival gang when the police intercepted them.
Rana belongs to Kandhowali village near Jhander, while Jagroop belongs to Raman village in the Amritsar (rural) police area.
"We are yet to look into the criminal history of these suspects, but we have found that Rana was facing an attempt to murder charge and a case under the NDPS Act," said Brar.