Police-robbers encounter sparks 26/11 scare in Delhi

Panic gripped the posh Green Park area of south Delhi on Monday evening after a gun-battle between Delhi police and a gang of alleged bank robbers left four injured. Some residents initially feared a repeat of the Mumbai terror attacks.

“The first thing that came to mind when the police began firing at a car was that it was another encounter with terrorists. It was only after about 20 minutes that we came to know it was a gang of robbers. My daughter is still very scared,” said Syeda Mansoor, who had come to Focus Hospital, across the road from the encounter site.

Four criminals, including wanted Uttar Pradesh-based gangster Satya Prakash alias Satte, sustained bullet injuries, but five escaped.

The 15-minute encounter started around 4.30 pm, when acting on a tip-off, two Delhi police teams intercepted the gang who had come in a black Honda Accord and a white Santro car near the Allahabad Bank branch.

Deputy commissioner of police HGS Dhaliwal said, “We had information that Satte’s gang could attempt a bank robbery in the area. We had been following the vehicles.

When the Honda Accord took a sharp turn, we thought the robbers had realised they were being followed. Our vehicle rammed into the car from behind, forcing it to a halt. The robbers started firing at the police team, after which the police retaliated.”

Police said a manhunt has been launched for the five who escaped in the Santro. Police commissioner YS Dadwal has announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for information on the vehicle. Sophisticated weapons, including four pistols, have been recovered from the Honda Accord, besides two khukris, rucksacks and mobile phones.

Besides gang leader Satte, who had a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head, Shakeel, Sonu and Nadeem, who is either an Afghan or Uzbek national, have been injured.

"The injured are constable Suresh, Umesh and Kaushalendra. They belong to the South district staff of the Delhi Police," DCP South HGS Dhaliwal said. 

The entire operation was led by Inspector Rajinder Singh of the Lodhi Colony police station. A team of UP police has also arrived at the scene as the alleged gangleader Satyaprakash alias Satte has several cases registered against him in Uttar Pradesh.

The police has recovered four imported pistols, two khukris, a number of cell phones, gloves and two rucksacks, Dhaliwal said. 

The DCP added that the policemen did not use automatic weapons like AK-47 as the area is semi-residential and thronged by civilians.    

"The policemen used pistols and other smaller weapons during the encounter," he said.    

Terming the gang leader as "very desperate", Dhaliwal said that the alleged robbers did a detailed recce of the area and had come from Kamal Cinema to Green Park before they assembled at R K International Hotel in South Extension part-I.

The Honda Accord car in which the gangleader and three gangsters were travelling, was arranged by Sonu alias Kulpreet who lives in South Extension part-II. Other members joined the gang from here, he said.