Criminal Escapes From Police Custody During Shootout Outside Delhi Hospital

A fierce gunfight broke out at a government hospital in Delhi in broad daylight on Thursday when a police team escorting a notorious criminal came face to face with those who came to aid his escape, leaving one assailant dead and triggering a chaos with patients and their relatives running for cover, officials said.

While the prisoner managed to flee, the police arrested one of his six associates who was injured in the gunfight at the GTB hospital, they said.

In a high-voltage drama, the assailants first threw chilli powder at the police team and then started firing at them to which the security personnel retaliated with 12 rounds of fire, killing one of them on the spot and injuring another, officials said.

The shootout took place around 12.30 pm when the third battalion of the Delhi Police was taking gangster Kuldeep alias Fajja, who is a member of the Gogi gang, to the hospital for treatment, a senior police officer said.

"Five to six men came in a Scorpio car and a motorcycle from the rear entrance of the hospital building and fired at the third battalion of the police in an attempt to help the accused escape from custody," he said.

During the encounter, one assailant died on the spot and another got injured who was arrested. The remaining accused, including Kuldeep, managed to escape, the police said.

The accused who died during the incident has been identified as Ravi, while the injured man was identified as Ankesh, police said, adding that both are aged between 25 to 28 years.

"Kuldeep was lodged at the Mandoli Jail and was brought to the OPD of the GTB Hospital for check up by the third battalion of the Delhi Police.

"After his check up was done by the doctors, the security personnel were taking him back to the police vehicle when the assailants started firing," senior police official (east) Alok Kumar said.

Mr Kumar said Kuldeep took the advantage of the chaos and managed to escape from the spot along with his associates.

"One of the assailants was killed during the cross fire and other was injured. Police fired 12 rounds in retaliation," the officer said.

Police said the assailants left the car on the spot while escaping.

The accused used multiple gates to escape from the spot. They also snatched a bike from a person outside the hospital and to escape, police said, adding there was chaos at the hospital as people started running to take cover during the shooting.

Chilli powder was seen strewn at the spot and the police also marked the area where empty bullet cartridges were found, officials said.

According the the police, Ankesh, who was injured, is out of danger.

Kuldeep is a member of the Gogi gang. The members of the gang were involved in extortion, collecting ransom and protection money as well as committing car-jacking among others.

Kuldeep was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in March last year from Gurgaon, they said.