Gangster killed, two cops hurt in Barnala encounter
The Punjab Police anti gangster task force (AGTF) on Sunday shot dead wanted gangster while two cops were injured in an encounter in Dhanaula area of Barnala district on Sunday
Barnala : The Punjab Police anti gangster task force (AGTF) on Sunday shot dead wanted gangster while two cops were injured in an encounter in Dhanaula area of Barnala district on Sunday.
More than 60 cases were registered against the gangster, Gurmeet Singh alias Kala Dhanaula, Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said in a post on X. “In a major breakthrough, Anti Gangster Task Force (#AGTF) of @PunjabPoliceInd neutralizes wanted A category Gangster Gurmeet Singh @ Kala Dhanula at a farmhouse in Badbar, District Barnala,” Yadav said.
The police party fired back in self-defence. An inspector and a sub-inspector were injured in the cross-firing, he said.
“The accused has a criminal history with 60+ heinous criminal cases registered against him.
AGTF officials said that three accomplices of the gangster have also been arrested.
Barnala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Sandeep Kumar said their team recovered three sophisticated weapons and live cartridges from the gangster’s possession. “A car, which was being used by the gangster in criminal activities, has also been impounded after the encounter,” he said, adding that Dhanaula was convicted in a murder case and was out on bail.
The AGTF officials said that Dhanaula started firing after police surrounded him at a farmhouse. A senior AGTF official said that inspector Pushpinder Singh and sub-inspector Jaspreet suffered bullet injuries in the crossfire. The injured police officers were rushed to a hospital in Barnala, he added.
“When we asked the gangster to surrender, he started firing,” said the official, adding that the police team retaliated, and he died on the spot.