The Delhi Police arrested three members of Portugal-based gangster Himanshu Bhau following an encounter in Rohini's Begumpur area in the early hours of Saturday. According to police, the arrested people identified as Atul, Rohit, and Prince were travelling on a motorcycle when they were spotted near Prem Adhe Road in Begumpur. With these arrests and a subsequent seizure of illegal firearms from the accused, possible targeted killings were averted in Delhi and Haryana, police said.
A tip-off was received on Friday that the three gangsters were on their way to Bawana on a motorcycle with the intention of shooting someone. A police team was immediately formed and a trap set up near the Prem Adhar Hospital at Rohini's Deep Vihar, the official said.
At around 10:30 pm, police intercepted a motorcycle carrying the three accused. When asked to stop, the criminals attempted to flee but lost control of the two-wheeler. One of them opened fire at the police team, hitting the bulletproof jacket of a head constable.
Police returned fire in self-defence, injuring the shooter in the leg, while the other two suspects were overpowered and arrested.
A semi-automatic pistol, two country-made pistols, five live cartridges and the motorcycle were seized from the accused.
The arrested men have a history of violent crimes, including murder, extortion and armed robbery. Atul was previously involved in seven criminal cases, including murder, extortion and for Arms Act violations. He had also made extortion calls to a politician from Bawana while in jail. Rohit, a former Indian Army soldier who took to crime subsequently, was involved in six cases of murder, robbery and theft. Prince, the youngest of the three, was influenced by Atul to join the gang, police said. "An FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway," Additional Commissioner of Police Sanjay Bhatia said.
