A constable overpowered and arrested three interstate criminals after a brief encounter and thereby foiled a burglary while on night patrol near the Hauz Khas area, an officer said on Friday.
The accused were identified as Sikander (30), originally from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore; Darshan Singh, a native of Punjab’s Ludhiana; and Vijender Singh, a senior police officer said.
Sikander sustained a gunshot injury in his leg during the shootout and is under treatment at AIIMS Trauma Centre, he added.
At a press conference, Ankit Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), said, “On Friday, around 4 in the morning, a patrolling constable, Kartar, from the Malviya Nagar Police Station, noticed three men on a motorcycle and behaving suspiciously. When signalled to stop by the constable, the suspects attempted to flee the spot leading to a chase that lasted over half an hour through various parts of the locality.”
He said the chase ended near Khel Gaon, where the suspects attacked the constable with iron rods in a bid to escape. “They aimed at the officer’s head, but his helmet absorbed the blow and prevented any serious injury. Outnumbered and under direct assault, Kartar issued a verbal warning and fired a warning shot in the air,” the DCP narrated.
“When the attackers did not relent, he fired one controlled shot in self-defence, injuring one of the assailants in the leg,” he concluded.
Drawn in by the commotion, security guards from Asiad Village rushed to the scene to support the policeman. With their help, all three suspects were overpowered and taken into custody. The constable also received an injury on his right arm.
“A stolen motorcycle and a set of housebreaking tools were confiscated from their possession,” Chauhan further said.
During sustained questioning, the trio admitted to their involvement in previous burglaries in the locality and said they were conducting reconnaissance in the area for their next target.
According to the officer, the injured accused, Sikander, has a history of crime, with at least 14 cases registered against him under various charges, including theft, housebreaking, and possession of illegal arms, across several Delhi police stations, such as Rohini, Farsh Bazaar, Krishna Nagar, Sarai Rohilla, and others.
Darshan Singh is also a repeat offender, with three cases registered against him in Punjab under sections related to theft, forgery, and Excise Act violations.
The police said efforts are on to verify the criminal background of Vijender Singh.