Snatcher injured in encounter on Ram Tirath Road, pistol recovered

Day after the Cantonment police arrested a snatcher from Ram Tirath road area here, his accomplice was injured in an encounter with the police when he shot at a cop in the same area on Saturday.

ASI Satnam Singh narrowly escaped in the firing incident as a bullet pierced through his turban. In retaliatory fire, the snatcher, identified as Vishal of Tarn Taran, was injured. He was later admitted to hospital for treatment.

Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, while sharing details of the incident, said that three bike- borne armed snatchers had robbed Gurpreet Singh of Ram Tirath Road area two days ago. He was coming from Gumtala to Mahal village bypass when the incident took place. He told the police that the accused snatched his phone and purse containing Rs 6,000 by pointing a Datar at him.

He informed the PCR team stationed there which intercepted the bike and arrested a snatcher, identified as Gurpreet Singh Gopi of Kasel village in Tarn Taran. His accomplice Vishal and Nirvail Singh of Jhabal (Tarn Taran), managed to flee the scene.

Bhullar said that during investigations, the police arrested Vishal who disclosed that he had hidden a pistol on Ram Tirath Road. The police team escorted him to the spot for recovery of weapon where he pretended to be ill to hoodwink the cops. Later, he took out the loaded pistol from the spot where it was hidden and fired at the police team. The bullet pierced ASI Satnam Singh’s turban. Following this, police post in-charge ASI Amar Singh fired at him which hit him in the leg. He said raids were on to nab their third accomplice.

Earlier, DGP Gaurav Yadav, while taking to X, had said, “In a swift operation, Amritsar city police commissionerate dismantled a gang involved in armed snatching.”

The DGP said Punjab Police maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards crime, demonstrating unwavering commitment to public safety and dismantling organised crime across Punjab.