CHANDIGARH/JALANDHAR
In a major action by the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police amidst the ongoing fight against organized crime launched on the directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, notorious gangster Jaskaran Gujjar alias Kannu sustained bullet injuries on his leg while unsuccessfully attempting to escape from police custody from near Hamilton Tower in Jalandhar and huge cache of arms and ammunition recovered from his possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Tuesday.
The arrested accused Kannu Gujjar, who is a key associate of dreaded gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, was arrested by the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police from Rampur Billran in Garhshankar on Tuesday.
The development came close on the heels of the arrest of another member of Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang identified as Naveen alias Kaka after a brief encounter took place at Lajpat Nagar on August 27 and the recovery of one pistol and 1kg heroin from his possession.
DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following disclosures of accused Kannu Gujjar, Police team from the Jalandhar Commissionerate was taking the accused to the isolated place at the backside of Hamilton Tower in Jalandhar, where he claimed to have concealed arms and ammunition.
“Upon reaching the location, the gangster tried to escape from the police custody by opening fire using the pistol retrieved from the spot, which led the Police team to open retaliatory fire to stop him from fleeing resulting in gunshot injuries,” he said, adding the accused was critically injured in the encounter and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
Sharing more details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Jalandhar Swapan Sharma said that police teams have successfully recovered eight pistols— including six .32 bore and one .30 bore— along with 55 live cartridges and eight magazines kept concealed at the spot.
The arrested accused has been facing at least eight FIRs of heinous crime, he said, while adding that the incident is being investigated forensically and scientifically.
A case under section 25 of the Arms Act was registered earlier at Basti Bawa Khel police station, Jalandhar. Notably, 10 associates of the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang have been arrested, and 16 weapons have been recovered in the last 10 days.