Amritsar: A wanted gangster was shot in the leg and arrested after an encounter with the Amritsar Commissionerate Police on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill told reporters. The accused, Akashdeep alias Akash, was injured in the exchange of fire and was taken to hospital for treatment after police overpowered him.

Source: TV9 Punjabi

Gill said Akashdeep is a resident of Qadian in the Batala police district and is wanted in seven criminal cases registered at different police stations, and that the courts had declared him a proclaimed offender. Police allege that he recently carried out an armed robbery of about Rs 2.5 lakh in cash from a money exchanger's shop in Batala at gunpoint, along with associates who have already been identified.

Source: India Today

The alleged jailbreak plot

According to the Commissioner, Akashdeep and four associates were allegedly plotting to free a jailed gangster identified as Angrez, who is lodged in jail in more than 15 serious criminal cases, including the Bhola murder case and the Kot Khalsa murder case. The alleged plan was to attack the police party escorting Angrez — either during a court production or by creating a halt on a birthday or eatery pretext — and help him escape. Gill said the plot was foiled through human and technical intelligence, including CCTV mapping of the suspects' routes, after police kept watch on their movements.

Source: TV9 Punjabi

Two rounds each way

Gill said that when the police team cornered Akashdeep and signalled him to stop, he allegedly opened fire instead of surrendering and fired two rounds even after being warned. The police team fired two controlled rounds in self-defence, one of which hit him in the leg; he fell and was taken into custody. From the spot, police recovered a .30-bore pistol, two fired empty shells, three live cartridges and a scooter carrying an Amritsar registration number, and are checking whether the scooter was stolen or obtained in some other way.

Source: TV9 Punjabi

The Commissioner said the gang's four other members have been identified and police teams are raiding multiple locations to arrest them, and that Akashdeep will be questioned further about the alleged escape conspiracy and the gang's activities. Every detail above is the police's account of the encounter and the alleged plot; the allegations have not been tested in court.

Source: India Today