Police fire in self-defence at 'robbers', one injured

Hyderabad, Jul 12 (PTI) One person suffered injuries when a policeman opened fire in self-defence as two suspected anti-social elements, who were carrying an axe, attacked the constable when he was carrying out a check, police said on Friday.

The Hyderabad City Police is conducting decoy operations and other such security measures in crime-prone areas to control crime during night time, a police release said.

At about 12.10 am on Friday, a decoy team comprising two constables (one ARPC and one Civil PC) noticed two persons in suspicious circumstances near Nampally railway station. During a check, one of them was found hiding an axe. When the police questioned them about it, the person carrying the axe took it out to attack the men on duty. The other person started pelting stones on them.

The police team warned the two persons to surrender by dropping the weapon. However, they did not pay heed to police advice and continued to attack. In self defence, one constable opened fire on the person brandishing the axe, injuring him in the right thigh. The other person ran away from the scene, the release said.

The injured was immediately shifted to the state-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH) for treatment. Later, the local police team apprehended the other accused.

The two persons confessed to having committed pickpocketing of money and mobile phones from those sleeping on footpaths, the release said.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of law and the accused will be produced before court, it added.

Police have opened fire in a couple of separate incidents in Hyderabad and its outskirts while dealing with anti-social elements in recent weeks. PTI SJR SJR KH