Gangster Teja Mehandpuria, 2 aides killed in an encounter in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib
Two cops, sub-inspector Gurpreet Singh and constable Sukhraj received injuries during the encounter and are presently undergoing treatment
The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police killed two gangsters and an aide in an encounter held at Bassi Pathana town of Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab on Wednesday. The two deceased gangsters have been identified as Teja Mehandpuria and Manpreet Peeta, while police are yet to establish the identity of the third gangster.
Teja Mehandipuria was the leader of the gang that was allegedly involved in the killing of a police constable Kuldeep Singh Bajwa on January 9 while chasing four robbers who had snatched a car at gunpoint in Phillaur.
DGP Gaurav Yadav, in a tweet, said, “2 police officers injured and 3 gangsters neutralized by AGTF in self-defence in live encounter in Bassi Pathana, Fatehgarh Sahib. Gangsters identified as Teja Mehandipuria & his 2 associates. Deceased gangsters were members of gang involved in the murder of constable Kuldeep Singh which took place on 9th Jan in Nakodar. Teja had more than 38 FIRs against him.”
Sharing further details, AGTF chief and additional director general of police, Pramod Ban, said, “Teja was facing more than 40 criminal cases and was also an accused in the killing of a police constable, Kuldeep Bajwa in Phillaur.”
Ban further said that two police personnel, identified as sub-inspector Gurpreet Singh and constable Sukhraj, also received injuries and are presently undergoing treatment.
Police said the accused were travelling in a jeep and were asked to stop by the police during a chase. “They opened fire at the police party when asked to surrender.
The police retaliated and Mehandipuria and his unidentified accomplice were killed during the exchange of fire. A third person, who was injured, later succumbed in a hospital, police said.
Ban said that Mehandipuria was lodged in Bathinda jail and got bail on November 16 last year. He jumped bail and started his independent gang in the Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district of the Doaba region of the state, he added.
Police suspect that Mehandipuria was allegedly planning to target religious and political leaders and members of the rival gang.
