NEW DELHI: A man wanted in an Rs 85 lakh armed robbery case in Shastri Park and linked to a previous murder case was arrested after a brief exchange of fire in central Delhi’s IP Estate area, police said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Ajay alias Kaliya (34), a resident of Usmanpur, allegedly led a small gang of four to five criminals and was the main conspirator in the robbery case. Acting on specific inputs received around 10 pm on March 23, police laid a trap near the Rose Garden service road on MG Road, where he was expected to arrive around midnight to meet associates.
At around 12.22 am, he was spotted approaching the area on a grey scooter. When signalled to stop, he attempted to flee but was quickly cornered by the police team. “On being surrounded, the accused abandoned his scooter and opened fire at the police team with intent to kill, firing multiple rounds,” an officer said. One bullet struck the bulletproof jacket of an inspector, narrowly averting injury.
Police retaliated in self-defence, firing at his legs, after which he was overpowered and apprehended. He sustained a gunshot injury in the leg and was shifted to hospital under police supervision. An illegal pistol, live cartridges and empty shells were recovered from his possession.
Police said Ajay is a habitual offender involved in multiple cases of robbery, murder, theft and Arms Act violations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. A fresh case has been registered, and efforts are underway to trace his associates.