While police were recovering 2kg of heroin hidden by gangster Amritpal Singh, he took out pistol kept there and opened fire, leaving a cop injured, while another had a narrow escape as the bullet pierced through his turban.
An arrested gangster was killed in an exchange of fire with Punjab Police when he tried to flee in Amritsar’s Jandiala Guru area on Wednesday morning, police said.
Punjab Police personnel after the encounter in which gangster Amritpal Singh was killed when he opened fire and tried to flee along Dhararh canal near Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district on Wednesday. (HT Photo)
Amritpal Singh, 22, arrested on Tuesday, was being taken to Jandiala Guru for the recovery of 2kg of heroin. He fired at the police team from a pistol hidden there while in handcuffs and tried to flee, they said.
The incident occurred on the banks of Dhararh canal at 8.30am. “During interrogation on Tuesday, he disclosed that he had hidden 2kg of heroin. We brought him here to recover the narcotics,” Amritsar (rural) senior superintendent of police Satinder Singh said.
Amritpal, however, did not disclose that he had hidden the weapon there, the police officer said.
Gangster Amritpal Singh. (HT Photo)
While the police were recovering the heroin, Amritpal took out a 9-mm pistol and opened fire, leaving a police personnel injured. Another official had a narrow escape as the bullet pierced through his turban, the SSP said.
The injured policeman was hospitalised and his condition is stated to be stable.
Amritpal was involved in at least four murders and two attempted murder cases, the police officer added.