In a dramatic late-night operation, the Khanna police apprehended a suspected gunman and his accomplice following a brief exchange of fire near Doraha on Saturday. The arrests came just three days after the duo allegedly opened fire on the son of a village's acting sarpanch in a bid to coerce signatures on documents.
Encounter Leads to Arrest of Proclaimed Offender
Acting on a secret tip-off, a police team from Doraha located the suspects at a restaurant near Doraha on Saturday evening. The main accused, identified as Inderjit Singh Bui from Rajgarh village, is a proclaimed offender wanted in four prior cases including attempted murder, snatching, and affrays. He was spotted with his accomplice, Gurveer Singh.
Upon seeing the police, the pair abandoned their motorcycle and fled into a nearby house. Officers swiftly cordoned off the area. While two policemen entered the house and detained Gurveer Singh without injury, Bui scaled a wall. Seeing the police cordon, he opened fire, striking a police vehicle. The police retaliated, and a bullet hit Bui in the leg.
The injured shooter was immediately apprehended and taken to Payal's government hospital, where his condition is reported as stable. No police officers or members of the public were injured in the encounter. A weapon was seized from the scene.
Background: Attack Over Document Dispute
The chain of events began on December 24 with an attack on Manpreet Singh Goldy, the son of Rajgarh's acting sarpanch. According to Payal's acting DSP Karamjit Grewal, the initial conflict was a bureaucratic dispute. On December 25, two brothers, Manjot Singh and Prabhjot Singh, had sought document signatures from Goldy, leading to an argument.
Following the argument, the brothers summoned Inderjit Singh Bui. Bui arrived on a motorcycle with another, yet-unidentified man and allegedly fired seven to eight rounds at Goldy before fleeing the scene. Fortunately, Goldy escaped unharmed. Following this incident, the Doraha police had registered an attempted murder case against four suspects: Manjot Singh, Prabhjot Singh, Inderjit Singh Bui, and one unidentified individual.
Police Hunt for Remaining Accused
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jyoti Yadav confirmed the arrests and stated that the police are actively hunting for the remaining two accused, Manjot Singh and Prabhjot Singh, vowing their quick apprehension. Interrogation of the arrested individuals is underway to uncover any broader criminal links or potential gang affiliations. Preliminary investigations suggest Gurveer Singh has no prior criminal record.
The case highlights the police's responsive action following a violent attempt to influence local governance through intimidation. The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together the full motive and network behind the attack.
