A 23-year-old man was killed in a brief encounter and his three associates were arrested in north-east Delhi’s Yamuna Khadar, the police said on Saturday. The accused dressed up as women to attract men only to rob them of their belongings.
During an analysis of repetitive incidents, the police found a common emerging pattern that a group of boys would dress up as women to attract commuters and rob them. The group was involved in several robbery cases in and around Yamuna Khadar.
On Friday around 8.30 p.m., the police spotted an injured person, later identified as Tushar, coming from Yamuna Khadar. Mr. Tushar told the police that around five to six persons had attacked him and snatched his mobile phone.
The police then admitted Mr. Tushar to a hospital and a case under Sections 392, 394, 397 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code was registered.
DCP (North East) Sanjay Kumar Sain said, the police reached the location mentioned by Mr. Tushar. After reaching deep into the jungle, the police spotted seven to eight suspicious persons and asked them to come out and surrender.
However, the persons opened fire at the police thrice. In retaliation from the police, one of them received a bullet injury and fell down, while others ran away, Mr. Sain added.
The injured, identified as Aakash, 23, was shifted to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital and was later shifted to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash hospital, where he died during the treatment, the DCP said.
The three other associates have been identified as Vishal, 25, Monu, 20, and Nikhil, 19. Later, the three were arrested from Yamuna Khadar on Saturday morning.
During interrogation, it was found that Monu and Nikhil would dress up as women to attract commuters and once a person would come near them, their associates would take them inside the jungle and rob them of their belongings and valuables, a senior police officer said.
The DCP said efforts are under way to nab rest of the accused.
