Chandigarh, March 1
Gangster Malkiat, alias Maxi, on Saturday sustained bullet injury while attempting to escape from the police custody near Ghagar bridge on Zirakpur-Ambala Highway in Dera Bassi in Punjab, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said here.
The gangster, a resident of Rodala village in Rajasansi Amritsar, is an operative of foreign-based terrorist Goldy Brar and gangster Goldy Dhillon and was running an extortion racket on their behalf.
Recently, Maxi and his accomplice Sandeep, alias Deep, were arrested by the Patiala Police in the Arms Act case.
Subsequently, both were brought on production warrant from the Patiala jail by Mohali Police on Friday in an extortion case wherein the accused had targeted a Mohali-based property dealer and demanded Rs 50 lakh extortion money in January.
DGP Yadav said following revelations of Maxi, a police team led by DSP (Dera Bassi) Bikramjit Singh Brar, was taking him for recovery of a weapon, a .32 calibre pistol, that he confessed to have concealed at an isolated place on the Zirakpur-Ambala Highway, intending to harm the property dealer.
"Upon reaching the location, the accused opened fire at the police team in an attempt to flee from custody, in self-defence and retaliatory fire by the police team, Maxi sustained a bullet injury in his left leg fire and has been shifted to the Civil Hospital of Mohali for treatment," he said.
The DGP said in a statement that the weapon along with three cartridges and two used and empty casings has been recovered from his possession.
Sharing more details, Senior Superintendent of Police (Mohali) Deepak Pareek said the accused has a criminal history, with cases of extortion and the Arms Act registered against him.
A fresh case on March 1 was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at the police station in Dera Bassi