Carjacking accused held after encounter

Four days after he snatched an SUV from a Nabha resident, the police, along with a team of the Crime Investigating Agency (CIA), nabbed the accused following an encounter near the Sangrur-Patiala Bypass yesterday. The accused already faces six FIRs in Patiala, Sangrur and Khanna districts.

Patiala SSP Nanak Singh said a team of the CIA, led by SP (Investigation) Yogesh Sharma and CIA Incharge Shaminder Singh, was chasing the accused, identified as 19-year-old Srover Singh. “The accused had forcibly taken away an SUV (Thar) on November 21 in Nabha from Chirag Chabbra after attacking him. Following a tip-off, Shaminder Singh and his team members chased the accused, who started firing at the police party,” he said.

“After the accused started firing indiscriminately, the CIA team also opened fire. During the crossfire, the accused sustained a bullet injury on his leg. We had to be careful in the counter as it was a busy road, and we had to ensure no loss to the public,” said Shaminder Singh. “The accused was rushed to the hospital and a separate case against him was been lodged at the Passiana police station after we recovered one 32 bore country-made pistol along with cartridges from him,” he said, adding that the stolen SUV had also been recovered from the spot.

The SSP said, “Once the accused is discharged from the hospital, we will take seek his police remand to ascertain his role in other crimes,” he added.