Man arrested in connection with shootout in south Delhi

A man was arrested and a juvenile apprehended in connection with a shootout in south Delhi, police said today.

The members of a criminal gang, involved in extortion, had yesterday opened fire on Delhi Police's Crime Branch personnel after they were intercepted. Five criminals of the gang had managed to escape after the shootout, they said.

The Crime Branch had received information that a gang was trying to procure a large cache of sophisticated weapons to overawe their rivals and to carry out some serious crimes in Delhi, police said.

The gang was in touch with various suppliers of illegal arms in Baghpat, Hodal, Kosi, Mathura etc, they said.

About two weeks ago, the gang members had travelled up to Baghpat to purchase the weapons. However, the deal was not finalised on price issues, police said.

The gang members continued to negotiate with various illegal arm suppliers and on March 21, they went to Kosi Kalan, Mathura for procuring the weapons, where the deal was finalised, they added.

The police team learnt that the gang would be returning to Delhi via Faridabad along with the procured weapons and would further take the Surajkund Road for entering Delhi, police said.

A trap was laid at the police picket near Delhi-Surajkund Border.

The Crime Branch personnel signalled the vehicle, carrying the five accused to stop but the driver rammed the car into the barricade and tried to run over a police man.

The car's occupants, five in number, opened fire. The police team fired in retaliation. However, the accused continued to drive the vehicle, they said.

During the search of the abandoned vehicle, five semi-automatic pistols, nine live cartridges, two fired cartridges were seized, police said.

Several teams were formed to trace and arrest the absconding criminals. Subsequently, two gang members, including a juvenile, and Devinder, a proclaimed offender in three attempt to murder cases, were apprehended from Turkman Gate,