india

Updated: Jun 30, 2019 03:40 IST

A 32-year-old robbery suspect was shot in both legs during an encounter with the special cell near a bus stand in east Delhi’s Khel Gaon Friday night, police said.

According to Pramod Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (special cell), it was the suspect, Mohd Rihan, who fired opened fire. “We fired in self-defence and hit him in the legs. He was hospitalised, but is out of danger,” the DCP said.

The officer said Rihan’s name was disclosed by his associate Mohd Mujeeb, who was arrested by the same police team on June 17. Mujeeb allegedly told his interrogators that Rihan was out on bail and was looking to make some quick money to pay his debts and his lawyers. The input was that Rihan could be caught if the police focused on areas around NH-24 and neighbourhoods in north-east Delhi.

On Friday evening, the police received a tip-off that Rihan would be meeting one of his friends near the bus stand in Khel Gaon, allegedly to carry out a robbery on NH-24.

“When we intercepted him, he began firing at us. We returned fire. He was found to be riding a stolen motorcycle and carrying a pistol and three live rounds,” the DCP said.