The Hindu : New Delhi News : Out-of-turn promotions for ASI, cop in CP encounter case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Out-of-turn promotions for ASI, cop in CP encounter case

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 10. An assistant sub-inspector and a constable, who played a major role in overpowering six armed criminals, including a person running a tour-and-travel agency, at Connaught Place in New Delhi this Sunday, were given out-of-turn promotion today. The accused have been remanded to one-day police custody for further probe.

Constable Narender was off duty when he went to the N-Block market of Connaught Place around 6 p.m. He saw some people standing near the Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation office in the inner circle under suspicious circumstances. The manner in which they were conversing suggested that they were planning to commit a crime. Narender immediately informed his seniors, after which Sub-Inspectors Vinod Kumar, Abhay Narain and Subhash, and ASI Brahm Dev reached the spot and took position at three strategic spots to block all escape routes.

While some of the suspects had come there in a hired Tata Indica car, some reached there in Hyundai Accent and a Ford Icon, which were stationed near a tourist information centre. When Narender and Brahm Dev approached the occupants of the Accent to question them, the two suspects came out of the vehicle and tried to flee. On being chased, one of them, later identified as Salman, opened fire. ASI Brahm Dev also opened fire in retaliation and overpowered Salman and the other accused, Sanjay, with the help of Narender.

Realising that they had been trapped, two of the accused in the Indica -- Dinesh and Dharambir -- also tried to flee but were overpowered. The other two in the Ford Icon, later identified as Som Pal and Krishan Kumar, were apprehended by Vinod. During interrogation, the accused first claimed that their accomplices, who had more weapons, were fleeing in a Toyota Qualis. They also gave its registration number to the police. But the Qualis occupants were found innocent.

Salman disclosed that he ran a tour-and-travel agency at Connaught Place. The police suspect that the criminals had gathered at Connaught Place either to commit robbery as restaurants have maximum collection on Sundays, or to threaten some business rival of Salman. The police said one of the accused, Dinesh, was involved in more than 20 cases of murder, attempt-to-murder, robbery and other crime.

Investigations revealed that Dinesh and other accomplices had apparently tried to rob a businessman of his valuables at Panipat just a day ago. However, he opened fire from his licensed firearm and the accused had to flee from the scene. A probe into their other suspected involvements is on.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), Anita Roy, said Narender and Brahm Dev have been promoted out-of-turn for showing exceptional courage and presence of mind while carrying out the operation.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi