After four such incidents were reported in the last nine days of May, the residents of New Seelampur area on Friday woke up to the noise of gun shots, as the Special Cell of Delhi police nabbed two dreaded criminals following a brief shootout.
The accused have been identified as Salman (24) and Nazim (23). While the duo indiscriminately fired eight rounds at the police, the cops retaliated and fired six rounds at them, injuring Salman who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head.
The police also arrested Salman's brother Nazim, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on him. Both were part of the Nasir gang, the police said.
"The two were one of the most sought after criminals in Delhi and its neighbouring states. Around eight rounds were fired by the two while the police fired six rounds in self-defense," said P.S. Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell).
Salman was admitted to a nearby hospital where he was reported to be out of danger.
"Salman and Nazim are wanted in multiple cases of murder. Around three months back, the duo pumped eight bullets into one Hakimmuddin in New Usmanpur area. Five days later, the two along with their associates shot dead one Sarafaz in Krishna Nagar," Kushwah added.
The gunfight between the police and the two gangsters started at 4 a.m. on Friday when a Special Cell team reached Pusta Road in New Seelampur after receiving a tip-off about the whereabouts of the wanted duo.
As soon as the two reached the spot on a bike, the police signalled them to stop for routine checking. However, the accused opened fire to evade the arrest.
The police have recovered two semi-automatic pistols and five live cartridges from the possession of the gangsters.
( With inputs from IANS )