Delhi: 2 sharpshooters from Kapil Nandu-Venkat Garg gang held after encounter

New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) Two alleged sharpshooters from the Kapil alias Nandu-Venkat Garg gang were arrested following a brief exchange of fire in Delhi's Rohini, the police said on Saturday.

The accused were identified as Harshdeep (20) and Naveen (24), both cousins and residents of Haryana's Ambala Cantonment and Panipat, respectively. Both were wanted in a firing and extortion case registered at the Chhawla Police Station, the police added.

The encounter occurred in Sector 28, Rohini, on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, after a team of the Special Cell laid a trap based on specific inputs.

"When signalled to surrender, the accused opened fire at the police team without any provocation. In retaliatory fire, both sustained bullet injuries. They were immediately overpowered and shifted to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital for treatment," a senior police officer said.

Two sophisticated automatic pistols, a Glock-17 and a Star pistol, along with seven live cartridges and four empty shells, were recovered from their possession, police said.

According to investigators, Harshdeep, a school dropout, came in contact with gangster Venkat Garg through social media. He was allegedly lured with the promise of a job abroad but was instead tasked with carrying out criminal assignments, including opening fire at a businessman's premises in Chhawla on the instructions of Kapil alias Nandu.

His cousin Naveen, a graduate, was allegedly drawn into the gang with the promise of easy money.

The accused have also been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act, with a fresh FIR registered at the Special Cell police station, the police said.

Police said the two had been entrusted with carrying out extortion-related firing incidents for the gang.

Further investigation is underway to establish the gang's forward and backwards linkages, the police added. PTI SSJ APL APL MPL MPL