A notorious criminal was killed in an encounter with Haryana Police in Sonipat after he allegedly opened fire on a police team that had gone to arrest him, police said on Monday.
Head Constable Devender was injured in the exchange of fire and is currently undergoing treatment. Police said his condition is stable and he is out of danger.
Director General of Police Ajay Singhal said Haryana Police would bear the full cost of the injured constable’s treatment. He also wished him a speedy recovery.
The DGP said the police would continue their crackdown on crime and organised criminal activity, and that strict action against offenders would go on within the bounds of the law.
Police said the deceased, Gopal of Atayal village in Sonipat district, was a habitual offender and was facing nearly two dozen criminal cases. These included charges of murder, attempt to murder, assault and arson.
Police said he had been sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case registered in 2010. He was later handed another life sentence in a separate murder case in the Ganaur area in 2016.
Officials said Gopal was released on 70-day parole in February this year. During that period, he allegedly committed several offences, including attacking a liquor vend, assaulting individuals, damaging property and setting it on fire at gunpoint.
He was also accused of stealing a car from the Samalkha area and opening fire on a man with the intention to kill him. After his parole ended, he did not surrender before jail authorities and had been absconding since then, police said.
Police said they received information that Gopal was moving around with plans to target someone. Acting on the input, a police team launched an operation to arrest him.
When he spotted the police team, Gopal allegedly opened indiscriminate fire. Two bullets hit police vehicles, while another struck Head Constable Devender in the hand, injuring him.
Police said the team fired back in self-defence and as per procedure, during which the accused was injured. Both the injured constable and the accused were taken to Khanpur Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared Gopal dead. Head Constable Devender is still undergoing treatment.
Police Commissioner Mamta Singh described the encounter as another major success in the district police’s ongoing campaign against crime and criminals.
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