Silver robbery accused shot in leg in Haryana's Palwal police encounter, 3rd operation in 4 days

GURGAON/PALWAL: The main accused in the March 11 robbery of 30 kg silver and Rs 8 lakh from a trader on the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway was arrested after an encounter with the Crime Branch team in Palwal on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Mustakeem of Kosikala in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, sustained a bullet injury in his right leg during the exchange of fire and was admitted to hospital for treatment. Police also recovered an illegal country-made .315 bore pistol and ammunition from his possession.


The action marks the third major operation carried out by Palwal Police within four days as part of a special drive against criminals involved in serious offences, including robbery, dacoity and murder.


According to police, a CIA Staff Palwal team was patrolling the Prithla-Dudhola Road when it received information that Mustakeem, wanted in the expressway silver robbery case, was hiding near Prithla-Chhapraula Road with an illegal weapon and was allegedly planning another major crime.


When the police team reached the spot, the accused allegedly attempted to flee towards nearby bushes. Police said he fired at ASI Laxman Singh with intent to kill after being confronted. The officer escaped unhurt as the bullet passed close to his left ear. Despite repeated warnings to surrender, the accused allegedly opened fire again.


Police said the team then fired a controlled shot in self-defence, hitting the accused in the leg and enabling his arrest. Two empty cartridge cases and one live cartridge jammed in the weapon were recovered from the spot.


DSP Crime Anil Kumar said Mustakeem was the main accused in the robbery of 30 kg silver and Rs 8 lakh from a trader on the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway. In the case, police had earlier arrested eight accused and recovered around 20 kg silver, Rs 70,000 in cash, the motorcycle and country-made pistol used in the crime, besides an Eco vehicle and a Swift Dzire car.


A fresh FIR has been registered at Gadpuri police station against Mustakeem for attacking a police team, obstructing government work and possessing an illegal weapon. Police said five criminal cases involving serious offences are already registered against him.


SP Nitsh Agarwal said Palwal Police would continue taking strict action against criminals and those attacking police personnel. "There is no place for crime and hooliganism in Palwal district. Criminals should either abandon the path of crime or face the strictest action under the law," he said.


Police said the operation follows two other major crackdowns in the past four days. On May 27, CIA Hodal arrested Harsh, wanted in a hammer attack case, after an encounter in which he suffered a leg injury. On May 29, the AVT Staff Hathin team arrested four members of an interstate gang from Uttar Pradesh after an encounter and recovered a cache of illegal weapons. One of the accused, Madhav Gupta, who is allegedly involved in 25 criminal cases, was also injured in the leg during the operation.