Bathinda, Feb 17: An exchange of fire between Bathinda police and a group of suspects ended with five arrests and one person hospitalized early Tuesday morning. The encounter took place at an unfinished shopping mall situated near the railway station, a site police say was being used as a hideout for individuals targeting local travelers.
The confrontation began when a suspect identified as Neeraj allegedly fired a country-made weapon at a police team during a coordinated raid. Officers initially discharged warning shots into the air before returning fire in self-defense, resulting in a non-fatal injury to Neeraj’s leg.
“Five persons, including Neeraj, have been arrested,” affirmed SP (City) Narinder Singh. He further declared that the suspects were involved in looting passengers coming from the railway station.
The apprehended group includes brothers Neeraj and Ghota, both of whom have extensive criminal backgrounds with seven cases each. Others arrested were identified as Vikramjit, Karan, and Rahul. Police records indicate that several members of the group are alleged to be struggling with drug addiction.
Legal proceedings have been initiated at the Kotwali police station, with charges filed under the NDPS Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The operation follows a weekend of heightened social media activity regarding drug use in Bathinda, which drew comments from local political leaders.
Regarding the viral footage circulating online, police stated that those arrested today were not the individuals seen in the viral videos. They affirmed that separate preventive actions were taken on Monday, resulting in seven other individuals being detained for questioning.
The injured suspect is currently receiving medical attention while the investigation into the group’s activities continues.
