Murder accused killed in `encounter' with police in Gandhinagar

Gandhinagar, Sep 24 (PTI) An arrested robbery-and-murder accused was killed in an encounter with police in Gandhinagar district on Wednesday after he allegedly snatched a firearm from a policeman and opened fire, a senior official said here. Vipul Parmar, a history-sheeter accused of killing a 25-year-old man and injuring his woman friend near Ambapur village, was taken to the crime spot for investigation on Wednesday evening, the official said.

"The accused was taken to the spot for crime scene reconstruction `panchnama' (report) when he snatched a gun from a police officer and fired, injuring a head constable. He also fired on police vehicles," said Gandhinagar Range Inspector General of Police Virendra Yadav.

"He was killed in retaliatory firing by police for self-protection," Yadav added.

Head constable Rajendra Sinh, shot in his hand during the encounter, was admitted to Apollo Hospital where he was undergoing a surgery, the official said.

An ambulance was called after the shoot-out but the paramedic staff declared Parmar dead on the spot, the IG said.

As to how many rounds were fired by the accused and police officers, it will be determined in an inquiry, he said.

Vipul Parmar allegedly killed one Vaibhav Manwani (25) in the early hours of September 20 when Manwani had gone to the Narmada canal road near Ambapur village from Ahmedabad with a woman friend, and the two were sitting in their car.

Parmar approached them and demanded that they hand over their valuables. When Manwani resisted, Parmar allegedly stabbed him with a knife. He also allegedly attacked the woman and severely injured her.

The Ahmedabad city crime branch later arrested Parmar from rural areas of Rajkot district.

Parmar had ten other cases of robbery and murder registered against him in different police stations of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, a police release said. PTI PD KRK