Jammu: A wanted criminal received a gunshot injury “after he tried to snatch a weapon from a policeman while leading a police party to his hideout to effect recovery of illegal weapons including a pistol” here, officials said on Tuesday.
Bagh Hussain, a resident of Balol Nallah near Kikri Morh, was recently arrested from Haryana in connection with a case related to an attack on a police party in Bari Brahmana area in April that left several policemen, including a station house officer, injured, the official said.
“During interrogation, the accused disclosed having concealed the weapon of offence – a loaded pistol and an axe – in Banachak village of Bishnah (Jammu). A police team rushed to the location to recover the weapons (on Monday),” he said.
“However, in a shocking turn of events, not mending his ways, the accused attempted to snatch the service weapon of Constable Arun Sharma, leading to a violent scuffle and causing injuries to him. In line of duty, self-defence and retaliatory action, the police party was forced to open fire on the accused, who sustained injuries during the incident,” the official added.
He said Hussain was immediately shifted to Sub-District Hospital Bishnah for medical treatment and is under police custody.
“He is a notorious criminal with a long history of violent and heinous crimes, with 27 FIRs registered against him across multiple police stations in Jammu, Samba and even Himachal Pradesh, out of which eight FIRs were registered for assault on police parties including the recent incident of attack on SHO Baribrahmana,” the official said.
He said his criminal record includes charges under murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, illegal arms possession, kidnapping, rioting, criminal conspiracy and obstruction of government duties.
Terming his arrest as a “major breakthrough”, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu Joginder Singh said further investigation is underway to unearth the full extent of his criminal network in the area.
He appreciated the “courage, professionalism, sense of duty and the swift response of the police team” to recover the arms and ammunition and shift the accused to hospital.
