In a classic cat and mouse game that played out late Friday night, Mohali police tracked a firing case suspect to a petrol pump in Sector 52, Chandigarh, where he allegedly tried to run over a policeman before being shot.
But the drama did not end there as the suspect still managed to speed away and was tracked again only after he admitted himself to a hospital to get treated for a gunshot wound on his hand.
The suspect, identified as Manish, 30, a resident of Maloya, was being followed by the crime investigation agency (CIA) of Mohali police. The team had traced the vehicle he was travelling in through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage while following the route taken by motorcycle-borne shooters after the firing outside businessman Baljeet Singh’s house in Phase 10 around 11.30pm on Monday. Singh is a co-owner of a mall in Mohali.
Police said the vehicle was traced to Mohali and followed until it stopped at a fuel station in Sector 52. The CIA team positioned one vehicle ahead of it and another behind. A policeman then approached the vehicle, identified himself and tapped on its window.
According to police, the driver accelerated towards the policeman, allegedly attempting to run him over, before reversing the vehicle. Police then fired to prevent him from escaping. An officer said one round hit the vehicle’s tyre, while another entered through the window and struck the driver’s hand.
Despite being injured, Manish fled the spot. He later admitted himself to a hospital in Phase 6, from where police were tipped-off. He was later referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research where he was detained. He has not yet been interrogated.
An FIR was registered at Sector 36 police station on the complaint of CIA staff under Sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Police said that since the firing incident took place within the jurisdiction of Sector 36 police station, the case was registered there. They will seek custody of the accused after his treatment.
CIA staffer Pardeep Singh said Manish would be questioned after his medical treatment, particularly about the other people who were travelling with him and later took him to hospital.
Police are investigating whether the firing is linked to an earlier shooting at a hair salon in Sector 80.
Born and brought up in Chandigarh, Rajanbir has over eight years of experience reporting in the city with Hindustan Times. He is working as a senior correspondent and is currently covering crime and traffic for the UT and has previously covered beats including school and higher education, local courts, environment, RWAs, markets, business. He has also been the local weather reporter since joining HT.Read More