Drug smuggler fires at police, injured as cops return fire

A drug smuggler fired three bullets at the police while trying to escape at a naka and was shot in the leg in retaliatory firing by the police. He was arrested and a country-made pistol, a bullet and heroin was seized from him by the police.

Addressing a press conference organised at the Police Lines here in this regard, SP (D) Dr Mukesh Kumar said that under his supervision, DSP Sukhninder Singh, Inspector Gurpreet of the CIA staff along with the police force had set up a blockade at Adda Chakk Sadhu. They had received information that drug smuggler Tirath Ram alias Mall, a resident of Safipur (Jalandhar rural), currently residing at Bajwara Kalan, was coming from village Bichhohi towards Chakk Sadhu on his unnumbered Activa.

He said that when the police signalled the said Activa rider to stop, he fired three rounds at them from his .32 bore country-made pistol with the intention of absconding, after which the police retaliated and fired two rounds in which the accused got injured. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital, Hoshiarpur, for first aid.

The SP (D) said that a country-made pistol, one live bullet, 146 grams of heroin and an unnumbered Activa were recovered from the accused. He said that four cases of drug smuggling have already been registered against the accused at the Sadar police station, in which he was wanted by the police.

He said that the accused will be produced in court and more revelations are likely to emerge during the interrogation.

Jalandhar