Infamous gangster Karanjit Singh alias Jassa Happowal, involved in at least six murder cases, sustained bullet injuries on both his legs on Wednesday as he attempted to escape from police custody in Zirakpur town of Punjab’s Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district, State Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said.

One police officer also sustained injuries in averting the gangsters’ escape.

Mr. Yadav said Jassa, the main shooter of an absconding foreign-based gangster Rajesh Kumar alias Sonu Khatri and terrorist Harvinder Rinda, was arrested by the Counter Intelligence wing, Jalandhar, from the outskirts of Jalandhar on November 30.

“Jassa was brought on a production warrant in a case related to gun firing in an attempt to eliminate a person. Following his disclosures, a police team from the Anti-Gangster Task Force under the supervision of Additional Director General of Police Pramod Ban was taking Jassa Happowal to an abandoned building near Hotel Midtown in Peermuchalla [in Zirakpur], where he claimed to have concealed the Chinese pistol suspected to be used in the Metro firing incident,” he said.

“On reaching the location, the gangster tried to escape from police custody after pushing down a police official, which led the AGTF team to open fire to stop him from fleeing resulting in gunshot injuries,” the DGP added.

An AGTF official, Darshan Singh, was also injured in averting his escape. Both of them have been taken to the nearest hospital for treatment, said the DGP.

“Police teams have successfully recovered one Chinese pistol along with five live cartridges. The incident is being investigated forensically and scientifically, while, forensic teams have already reached the spot,” Mr. Yadav added.