A Special Task Force (STF) team of Kolkata Police gunned down two allegedly wanted gangsters from Ludhiana, Punjab, in an operation at New Town this afternoon.
The two gangsters killed in the exchange of fire were identified as Jaipal Bhullar and Jaspreet Singh, who are said to have fled Punjab after killing two after killing two ASIs Assistant Subinspector) of police in an encounter there last month. Punjab police had declared earlier an award of Rs 10 lakh on Ferozepur resident Bhullar’s arrest and that of Rs 5 lakh over Mohali man Jaspreet’s apprehension.
The two had been on the run since the killings of two ASIs at the new grain market at Jagraon in Ludhiana.
The epicentre of today’s encounter was the posh Sapoorji housing complex at New Town. According to police, the encounter started at around 3.30 p.m when the alleged gangsters started firing on seeing the police and the STF coming, prompted the STF to return fire resulting in the death of the two men.
An STF officer, identified as Kartik Mohan Ghosh, sustained serious bullet injuries and now undergoing treatment at a private hospital. A senior officer of the STF quoting Punjab Police officials said that the two deceased were history-sheeters.
According to police, Jaipal Bhullar had 40 cases against his name, including cases of extortion, murder, bank dacoity and arms snatching from the police.
ADG STF Vineet Goyal told newspersons that they had specific information from the Punjab Police that the alleged two dreaded gangsters were hiding at this housing complex. “Based on technical surveillance and tracking their phone numbers, an operation was conducted this afternoon at around 3.30.
When the force was entering the complex premise, the two alleged gangsters who were in 101 room at the B Block of the complex started indiscriminate firing. In the resultant exchange of gunfire, the two were eliminated. Cash worth Rs 7 lakh and five sophisticated arms were seized from their possession,” said Mr Goyal