Drug smuggler shot in leg amid escape bid

A drug smuggler, who was on Tuesday arrested for possessing 8-kg heroin and a .30-bore pistol along with five cartridges, was injured in police firing after he allegedly tried to snatch a cop’s weapon in Amritsar on Wednesday.

Police said accused Dharminder Singh, alias Sonu, revealed during interrogation that he had concealed a consignment. “Cops took him to a spot to seize the contraband. During a follow-up raid at Blue Breeze Colony near Majitha-Verka bypass, the accused attempted to escape and snatched a weapon from head constable Vijay Kumar. Reacting swiftly, Majitha SHO fired in self-defence, hitting the accused in his left leg,” said police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.

He was provided medical aid and admitted to the civil hospital. Further investigation is underway, Bhullar said.

Sonu is a resident of Harsha Chhinna village in Amritsar. Apart from recovering heroin and a weapon, police teams have also impounded his Hyundai Creta car which the accused was using allegedly to deliver consignments.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said the arrested person was in touch with cross-border drug smugglers, who were using Ajnala sector to drop drug consignments using drones from across the border. Further investigations are ongoing to trace the backward and forward linkages in this case, he added.