NEW DELHI: A notorious carjacker, who even brandished a firearm at cops, was apprehended after a brief scuffle on the Mehrauli-Badarpur road in Delhi, an official said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Suraj Gulia alias Ullu (28), resident of Jhajjar district in Haryana, was wanted for involvement in nine sensational cases of gunpoint carjackings and robberies in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Sharing details, DCP (Crime Branch) Rakesh Paweriya said that they received a tip-off that Gulia would come on the link road to MB Road near the cremation ground at Lado Sarai on April 11 following which a team was formed which set a trap near the anticipated location of his arrival.
“Around 4 pm, he was seen approaching on a Pulsar motorcycle from the MB Road, identified promptly by a confidential informant,” said the DCP.
Intercepted by the Crime Branch team, Gulia attempted to flee in the opposite direction, abandoning his motorcycle where a police team member was stationed.
In the ensuing struggle, he attempted to overpower the officer, brandishing a homemade pistol with intent to fire. However, additional team members swiftly arrived, successfully subduing him. The crude country-made pistol and two live cartridges were siezed by the cops from the accused.
The DCP said following his release from jail in 2015, Gulia joined the gang of Somveer in his village, perpetrating a series of carjackings that terrorised parts of Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan. “The gang would forcibly abduct drivers at gunpoint, later abandoning them after plundering their possessions and vehicles,” the DCP shared.
In 2015, Gulia was arrested by the Delhi Police, and spent about four years in various jails. Upon release, he resumed his criminal activities, participating in an armed robbery at a currency exchange shop in Dulina, Jhajjar, in 2020. Despite subsequent arrest, he secured bail after two to three months.
Subsequently, Gulia went into hiding, evading capture and working various jobs in Gujarat ports, where phone usage was restricted, thwarting investigative efforts.
“After several years, he returned to Pataudi, assuming the role of a tractor driver at a trading firm to conceal his identity,” said the DCP. Gulia was declared a Proclaimed Offender by courts in Delhi and Rajasthan for his involvement in three high-profile cases of gunpoint carjackings, with convictions in two cases.