BAREILLY: Almost three months after a 13-second video clip of a police officer “shooting” with his mouth had left viewers amused,

was injured on Friday in an early morning gunfight in

.

Sub-inspector Manoj Kumar of UP police was actually in pursuit of two armed men in Sambhal district then, but had found his progress hampered by a jammed pistol following which he made a 'thain-thain' sound.

On Friday police got a major breakthrough in Sambhal with the arrest of a dreaded criminal, Saddam, after a gunbattle in Alianekpur. Saddam had been wanted in 15 cases of loot, theft and attempt to murder. He was going towards Asmoli along with accomplice Akram when a police party signalled the duo to stop, but they opened fire on the cops. In retaliatory firing, Saddam sustained bullet injury in his leg while Akram managed to flee the scene, having disappeared in sugarcane fields.

SP Yamuna Prasad and policemen while combing in fields after encounter.

Superintendent of police Yamuna Prasad said, "We had the information regarding two criminals coming on a motorbike. Acting on a tip-off, our team took position near Alianekpur tri-junction. When the cops saw the two men coming on a motorbike, they signalled to stop them, but instead of slowing down their vehicle, the miscreants opened fire on the police party leaving one sub-inspector Manoj Kumar injured." Kumar received bullet pellets in his hand.

"Our officials, in self-defence, fired on them resulting in a bullet hitting the leg of one of them. The accused has been identified as Saddam of Amroha who was wanted in as many as 15 cases, including robbery, theft and attempt to murder. The other accused disappeared in sugarcane fields," he added.

Prasad said that they were combing in the fields to nab another accused who had managed to run away. Police recovered two country-made pistols, cartridges and a stolen motorbike from Saddam. An FIR under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the IPC and the Arms Act has been lodged against him.