It's not just ordinary people in distress who are calling the cops. Even notorious criminals, who refuse to 'bite the bullet' have started dialing '100' to save their lives.Sarvan Kumar, a wanted criminal from Delhi and Haryana, put the number to good use when he was cornered by a team of Delhi police special staff in Bawana area.Kumar had gone to Bawana to meet one of his associates. The special staff of the outer district police got a tip-off and reached the spot where the notorious gangster was meeting his associates. A gun-battle soon erupted and when he could not find any escape, Kumar called up the police control room several times from his cell phone telling them that an encounter was on.The police control room in turn informed the local police that reached the spot immediately and arrested Kumar and his two associates.Top officials remain tight-lipped about the incident, some even refusing to acknowledge that any such encounter even occurred in Bawana. However, highly placed sources in the Delhi police confirmed the gun-battle and also how Kumar was able to save himself by calling up the local police."He was scared that the special staff sleuths would eliminate him. Shots were being fired from both sides and therefore Kumar called up the PCR. He knew that as soon as the local cops arrive on the spot, they will stop the special staff cops and take him into their custody," sources said.They said police teams from the outer district and crime branch were tracking Kumar for the past few months.Usually Kumar did not carry a cell phone for the fear of being traced by the police. However, incidentally he had his phone with him when he went to Bawana and got cornered by the police."We have arrested Sarvan Kumar along with his associates. We are investigating the cases against him and will proceed accordingly," said a top police official.

The Sonepat police had declared a reward of Rs 5,000 on Sarvan Kumar's head. Kumar was wanted in several cases of extortion and attempt to murder that took place in Kanjhawala, Bawana and Shahbad Dairy areas of outer and north Delhi.A few days ago Sarvan had kidnapped a financier from Kanjhawala area and demanded several lakh rupees as ransom from his family. When his demand was not met, he shot the businessman and dumped him outside the village in north Delhi.