In a dramatic encounter, which lasted more than three hours, Ghaziabad Police on Thursday arrested a gang of robbers involved in a loot of Rs 25 lakh from a trader early morning. Police, during massive exchange of fire, injured two robbers and recovered the looted money also. A policeman also suffered bullet injuries in his abdomen and leg and is said to be in a critical condition.
According to the reports, six robbers in a Swift DZire car looted Rs 25 lakh on gun point from a Meerut-based meat trader Aas Mohammad in Kharkhoda area of the district early morning. The robbers, after executing the robbery, fled towards Ghaziabad’s Modinagar where they engaged with the local police first and then with the locals. At least 100 policemen including DIG of Meerut range, SSPs of both Meerut and Ghaziabad, SPs and Deputy SPs reached the area. Sensing fear of arrest, the gang of robbers tried to take the locals in hostage but were chased by the cops and were cornered in a sugarcane field.
The police encircled the area asking them to surrender but the group of robbers started firing at the cops. Within a short span, both sides engaged in a steady spurt of gunfire in which the robbers fired at least 30 rounds of bullets and the police responded in a similar tenure. Images showed policemen in bulletproof jackets armed with guns and rifles, searching the field. Many cops were positioned on a rooftop. The injured criminals were nabbed and were admitted to a nearby hospital amid security. The cop, who faced two bullets, was admitted to the ICU of the Yashoda Hospital where his condition is stated to be critical.
“The police had surrounded a sugarcane field where the suspects were hiding after robbing a businessman. Three of them have been caught and a policeman has reportedly been shot,” said Dharmendra Singh, SSP of Ghaziabad.
The arrested criminals were identified as Pradeep and Amit, who were injured, and the third arrested was identified as Vicky. The first two are residents of Baghpat while the third is a resident of Delhi. The injured policeman who suffered a bullet was Anil Chaudhary.
After the gunbattle ended, police recovered Rs 25 lakh from the field and three loaded pistols from their possession. The car, which was used for robbery, has also been impounded. “We have recovered the money looted from the trader. The modus operandi indicates role of an organised syndicate and we are unearthing more details about them,” added the SSP.