Delhi Police's special cell had got a tip-off that the gang was in Chhatarpur.
Highlights
- The slain men and the injured were members of the Rajesh Bharti gang
- Rajesh Bharti, who escaped police custody in Haryana, was also killed
- All of them were named as accused in several murder and extortion cases
Four wanted criminals, including the kingpin of their gang, were killed in an encounter in south Delhi's Chhatarpur area, police said. Eight Delhi police personnel were also injured in the gunfight that followed at a farmhouse where they were hiding.
The police had information about their movement in the area and they launched an operation this morning in which gangster Rajesh Bharti and three of his gang members were gunned down. Their fifth accomplice got injured and was admitted to the hospital.
Rajesh Bharti, who carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, had escaped police custody in Haryana. Many serious cases were registered against him and the police had been looking for him for quite some time.
The other three killed in the encounter have been identified as Vidroh, Umesh Don and Bhiku, the police said. All of them were named as accused in several murder and extortion cases across Delhi.
The special cell personnel had been keeping a close watch on the farmhouse for the last two to three months. This morning when they got confirmed information about their presence at the farmhouse, they went to arrest them. The accused opened fire at the police as they tried to escape in an SUV.
The gunfight went on for about half an hour in which all five of them were severely injured. They were taken to a nearby hospital where four of the accused died later, an officer said.
(With Inputs From Agencies)