Police shoot at legs of two accused in self -defence

Hubballi: In Hubballi today, police gunfire echoed once more as officers engaged in a shootout with two burglars who had attempted to rob a home. During the operation, one suspect was apprehended while the other managed to escape.

The accused, named Irshad, Akbar, and Shamsad Khureshi, were involved in a burglary incident that took place near the residence of a local leader, Basavaraj Horatti, on March 1. The burglars had successfully fled the scene after the crime.

While the police were interrogating the suspects, they attempted to assault the officers to escape. In self-defence, the police fired at the criminals. As a result of the incident, three police personnel sustained injuries and were taken, along with the two suspects, for medical treatment at KIMS Hospital.

Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar stated, “On the 1st of this month, a burglary occurred in an apartment, resulting in the theft of items worth approximately 20 lakhs. Similar burglary cases have been reported in Vidyagiri, Dharwad City, and Keshavpur police stations in the past.”

As the police were investigating, they discovered that this gang had been active in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The burglars often travelled in luxury cars and stayed in prestigious hotels. They identified wealthy neighbourhoods in major cities and planned their burglaries accordingly. This notorious gang, numbering between 15 to 20 members, operates across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.

“During our attempts to track these burglars, we learned that they were in Shivamogga. Later, we got information that they were heading toward Hubballi. The suspects attacked a man named Maruti in Hubballi, stole his bike, and attempted to flee. They were later found hiding near Ryanal in the outskirts of Hubballi, and our staff were dispatched to capture them. During this operation, the suspects threw chili powder in the eyes of the police and tried to escape.”

“In order to protect themselves, the police fired two warning shots and later shot at the suspects’ legs. During the raid, one suspect managed to escape. However, the fugitive Shamsad Khureshi has since been apprehended,” reported the authorities. The notorious burglars reportedly confessed to destroying the vehicles and bikes used during their crime. Following this, a vehicle was set ablaze near Ryanal Cross, leading to suspicions that the escaping suspect may have set the vehicle on fire to cover their tracks. Investigations into this matter are ongoing