A wanted criminal of infamous Gogi gang escaped from police custody, following a broad daylight shootout inside the premises of GTB Hospital in east Delhi on Thursday afternoon, police said.
The shootout took place around 12.30 pm when the third batallion of the Delhi Police was taking gangster Kuldeep alias Fajja to the hospital for treatment in OPD, a senior police officer said.
"Backside of the main building of the hospital, five persons came in a Scorpio car and a motorcycle and fired at the third batallion of the police in an attempt to release the accused from police custody," he said.
During the encounter, one assailant died on the spot and one got injured, while one was caught by police. The remaining accused, including Kuldeep, fled, police said.
The accused who died during the incident has been identified as Ravi, while the injured identified as Anikesh, police said, adding that they both are in yhe age group of 25 to 28 years.
According to police, the accused persons threw chilly powder on the security personnel and later started firing. The police personnel also fired in the retaliation.
"Kuldeep was lodged in Mandoli Jail and was brought to the GTB Hospital OPD for the check by the third batallion of the Delhi Police. After he was checked by the doctors at OPD, the security personnel were taking him back to the police vehicle. Meanwhile, the assailants starter firing at the police personnel. Kuldeep took the advantage of stampede and managed to flee from the spot along with his associates. One of the assailants killed during the cross fire and other got injured. Police fire 12 round in the retaliation," Joint Commissioner of Police (east) Alok Kumar said.
Police said that the assailants came in a car and on a bike. They left the car on the spot after the incident.
The accused used gate number 7 of the hospital to escape from the spot. They snatched a bike from a person outside the hospital and fled away, police said.
Kuldeep is a member of Gogi gang. The members of the gang were committing extortion, collecting ransom, protection money and committing car-jackings etc.at impunity. Kuldeep was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in March 2020 from Gurgaon.
A person who runs a food stall near the OPD of GTB hospital said, that the accused used gate number 7 to escape from the premises.
“I was present at my stall when the incident took place. I heard bullets being fired at the backside of the hospital building. Later, some of them who were running from the police, went outside the gate number 7, which was opened at that time, of the hospital,” one of the eyewitnesses said.
