13 cops injured in attack by Mewat villagers

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, March 28

Thirteen policemen were injured in an attack by residents of Rahri village of Mewat on Wednesday morning.

A Crime Branch team led by Inspector Om Prakash reached the village to arrest wanted ATM robber Rafiq, alias Bachhi. They spotted him on the main road and when they tried to nab him, he ran inside the village.

The policemen ran after him. Rafiq fell down and the policemen nabbed him. When the policemen were taking him in their vehicle, more than 100 villagers, including women and children, came out. The women and children lay down on the road, forcing the policemen to come out of their vehicles. Meanwhile, men started throwing stones at the policemen. The policemen fired into the air, but to no avail as the women and the children were being used as human shield by the stone-pelters. In the meantime, the villagers set the accused free.

Head constables Ram Prakash and Haseen and constable Sunil were grievously injured in the attack.

“This is a routine in Mewat where villagers shield criminals. We were just 15 and they were over 100,” said one of the injured policemen.

When the policemen returned in the evening with extra force, the accused had already fled the village. During checking, the policemen recovered three stolen motorcycles from the village.

Rafiq is suspected to be the leader of a gang of ATM robbers, who carries a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head.