Four aides of gangster Kaushal arrested in encounter in Manesar

Four associates of gangster Kaushal Chaudhry were arrested by Gurugram police following a brief and intense exchange of gunfire in Manesar in the early hours of Thursday. Two of the four suspects were shot in the leg, while a sub-inspector (SI) of the Gurugram Police was shot in the chest but not injured due to his bulletproof jacket, said police.

According to police, the suspects had recently demanded extortion of ₹1 crore from a hotel owner on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway. The gang members were reportedly on their way to commit a crime when they were intercepted by police who were acting on a tip off. Police recovered two countrymade pistols and cartridges from the suspects’ possession.

A senior police officer said that the injured suspects were admitted to a hospital while the other two are currently being questioned. A first information report has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at Manesar Police Station.

Probationer SI Sumit Kumar, head of the crime unit in Palam Vihar, filed the complaint in this case. In the FIR , seen by HT, Kumar said that late Wednesday night he received information that four armed henchmen of gangster Kaushal were travelling in a grey Eeco van to Dharuhera to commit a crime. PSI Kumar informed inspector Vishw Gaurav, head of the crime unit, Sector 39, and together, the two police teams set up barricades on both sides of the Delhi-Jaipur Highway near the NSG camp in Manesar.

“At approximately 3.50am, the grey Eeco van was spotted approaching from Bilaspur. When the police signalled the van to stop, the driver attempted to flee, opening fire on the police. The driver then tried to escape through the service lane, but the van got stuck in a drain near the service lane, halting their escape,” said PSI Sumit Kumar in his complaint.

The driver and one associate exited the van and began shooting at the police, while the other two criminals remained inside the vehicle. During the exchange of gunfire, a bullet struck SI Harish Kumar in the chest, but he was unharmed due to his bulletproof vest. The police shot the two suspects in the legs and arrested them along with the other two suspects in the van.

The arrested suspects were identified as Sachin alias Gajnu, 28, Krishan Singh, 30, Sanjay Singh, 31, and Anish 30.

“In the encounter, Sachin sustained a gunshot wound to his left leg while Krishan was shot in his right leg. We have seized the Eeco van and the weapons. Investigation is ongoing and we are currently looking into their criminal records,” a senior police officer said.