The city police opened five rounds of fire on a gang of dacoits near Nallesh Reddy Compound on Agara Main Road in Hennur, who were fleeing after allegedly looting valuables from the house of a businessman in Malleswaram on Monday.
While two suspects were injured in the shoot-out at around 10.30 p.m., three others managed to escape.
Five police personnel, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), were injured when the suspects allegedly attacked them with knives.
The injured suspects have been identified as Ramesh Raghavendra (27) and Arivu Murali Krishna (22) of Katpadi in Tamil Nadu. The accused and the injured police personnel — ACP Ramesh, constables Kenchappa Kollur, Ramesh Nayak, Madhukumar and Prabhakar — are undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Robbed
Earlier on Monday, at around 1 p.m., the gang allegedly robbed businesswoman Jayavanthi Hiriyur and her two sons, Y.L. Yeshawanth (39) and Y.L Sathyavrath (33), in their apartment on 13th cross Malleswaram. The gang made away with Rs. 10 lakh worth gold and silver articles, two ivory idols and foreign currency.
“Ms. Jayavanthi has been running a NGO for children with mentally disabilities. The gang members allegedly tied and gagged the elderly woman and her children,” H.S. Revanna, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Division), told The Hindu .
The gang then went to Hennur and attempted to rob passers-by near the Skyline Apartments. Senior officials were instructed to nab the gang. Barricades were set up on almost all roads in the city. This worked and the police came face to face with the gang. They asked them to surrender. “Instead, the gang members attacked the police. This forced us to open fire in self defence,” the officer said.
One round was fired in the air and four rounds were aimed at the gang. Two were shot on their legs, another senior officer said.
The police seized 200 gm of gold ornaments, 500 gm of silver ornaments, foreign currency, two sandal wood pieces, a briefcase and other valuables from the two injured gang members. Search is on for the other three.
