Man arrested after gunfight in northeast Delhi

A 35-year-old man who stabbed a head constable while escaping from a police booth in New Usmanpur, northeast Delhi on Friday was arrested on Saturday after an exchange of fire with a police team, police said. The accused, who was previously involved in at least 27 cases of attempt to murder, robbery, extortion and gambling, was shot in his right leg during the gunfight, police said.
He fired twice at the police personnel but none was hurt. The accused was identified as Mohammad Adil, who is registered as a bad character in the New Usmanpur police station, said deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Rakesh Paweriya, adding that a semi-automatic pistol with one round was recovered from him.
Sharing details of Friday’s attack on the policeman, DCP Paweriya said that the head constable, Azad Akhtar, of the New Usmanpur police station, was out on patrolling duty when he came across Adil who was behaving suspiciously. He took Adil to the Gautam Vihar police booth for questioning. In the meantime, Adil’s brother, Balwa, who is also a bad character of the police station, arrived at the booth with three-four women.
“They started assaulting head constable Akhtar. Bawla tore the uniform of the policeman while Adil attacked his chest with a sharp weapon causing a grievous injury to him. Then all the assailants fled the spot. The injured head constable was admitted to Jag Pravesh Chandra hospital for treatment. A case of obstructing and assaulting a government employee on duty and attempt to murder was registered under sections 221, 132 and 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and investigation was taken up,” said the DCP.
On Saturday, police learnt that Adil was hiding in the forested area of the third pushta of Yamuna Khadar. “After a brief search, Adil was located, and he was asked to surrender. However, he whipped out a pistol and fired two rounds at the raiding party that responded with as many bullets. One bullet hit Adil’s right leg after which he was overpowered and arrested. Adil was taken to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital for treatment,” added DCP Paweriya.