Extortion bid: 3 criminals held following exchange of fire in Punjab’s Mohali

Chandigarh: Three criminals who had come to Mohali’s Zirakpur to extort money from a hotel owner were arrested following an exchange of fire with police, officials said.

One of the criminals sustained a bullet injury in the incident on Sunday, they said. A sub-inspector also received an injury on his head after one of them hit him with a weapon following a scuffle.

The three had come to a hotel at Baltana in Mohali’s Zirakpur area around 9 pm on Sunday to extort money.

A team of the Anti-Gangster Task Force of the Punjab Police had laid a trap to arrest them following a complaint registered last week.

Upon entering the hotel, the criminals saw the police personnel and opened fire at them. In retaliatory firing, one of the criminals got injured, they said.

The criminals were overpowered and arrested, said police, adding that they were sent there by Ankit Rana, who is a member of the Bhupi Rana gang.

Talking to reporters, Deputy Inspector General of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said police had received a complaint of extortion on July 11. (PTI)