Wanted criminal held after encounter in southeast Delhi

The police on Friday arrested a 38-year-old wanted criminal after a brief exchange of fire in southeast Delhis Badarpur area, officials said. The police also fired three rounds following which the accused received an injury in his thigh, police said.

The police on Friday arrested a 38-year-old wanted criminal after a brief exchange of fire in southeast Delhi's Badarpur area, officials said. The accused has been identified as Mohmmed Azmal alias Pahadi, a native of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, they said.

Azmal was wanted in a case of extortion in UP's Nazibabad. He was also absconding in another case in which he had opened fire on members of a Delhi Police Special Cell team on October 15, 2020, officials said. He was also involved in a dozen criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, extortion, assault, Arms Act etc in Delhi and UP over a span of 10 years, they said. On Friday, police got a tip-off that Azmal would go towards Sarita Vihar metro station following which a trap was laid, police said. The accused was signalled to stop after he was spotted by the police. However, the accused whipped out a pistol and fired four rounds towards the police team. The police also fired three rounds following which the accused received an injury in his thigh, police said. One pistol and three live cartridges has been seized and the accused was taken to the Safdarjung hospital, they said.