Criminal injured in police encounter in Delhi’s Ghazipur

A criminal wanted in a robbery and attack on police personnel was held by the cops following an encounter in East Delhi’s Ghazipur, officials said on Tuesday.

The accused, Khem Chand (33), a habitual offender with over 15 cases registered against him, was injured during an encounter.
Police said the shootout happened late on Monday near the Paper Market, where the accused had come to meet his associate to plan another crime.

Advertisement

“Chand had earlier been involved in a violent attack on a police team on Friday morning. Around 5.30 am that day, three men riding against the traffic on a motorcycle were intercepted by a patrolling team near ISBT Anand Vihar,” Abhishek Dhania, Deputy Commissioner of Police, said.

He continued by saying that, “When stopped, the trio attacked Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Qasim and Constable Krishanpal using batons picked from the police vehicle.”

The DCP in his statement further mentioned that both personnel sustained serious head injuries and the assailants fled after robbing them of a mobile phone, wallet, cash, and documents.

The suspects abandoned the stolen motorcycle and one of the batons at the scene before fleeing. An FIR was registered, and an investigation was taken up by the officers.

As part of the preliminary inquiry, the CCTV footage was thoroughly scanned by the cops, and technical surveillance was conducted to trace the suspects.

Police received specific intel regarding Chand, that he would arrive at the Paper Market around midnight.

“With this lead, the team laid a trap at the location. When Chand was asked to surrender, he impersonated a police officer and attempted to flee. Upon being cornered, he allegedly opened fire at the team,” said the DCP.

The officer, in his statement, mentioned that, in self-defence, the team retaliated by firing back at him, injuring Chand, and later he was admitted to LBS Hospital in Kalyanpuri.

According to the officer, Chand had fired four rounds, while the police team fired two rounds.

Although no police personnel were injured in the encounter, the team confiscated a pistol with live and empty cartridges, and a stolen motorcycle was recovered from the accused.

Eventually, a forensic team and PCR unit were informed, and further investigation is underway to identify and arrest Khem Chand’s remaining associates.

“During interrogation, Chand admitted to resorting to crime to fund his drug addiction. He revealed that he had previously tried to change his identity to Javed to mislead police,” said the officer, adding that further investigation is in progress.

Chand, originally from the Godda district in Jharkhand, was residing in Burari’s Sant Nagar. He is illiterate, unmarried, and a chronic user of alcohol and drugs.

The police said that he had been living a transient lifestyle, often sleeping on railway platforms in Shahdara and Ghaziabad. To avoid detection, he would regularly purchase platform tickets and pose as a commuter.