Sub-Inspector, wanted criminal killed in shootout at Kathua medical college

PTI

Jammu, April 3

A police sub-inspector and a wanted criminal were killed and a special police officer was injured in a gunfight on the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital premises in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua, officials said on Wednesday.

Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha and Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain paid rich tributes to slain Sub-Inspector Deepak Sharma. The DGP pledged to go “hammer and tongs” against criminals, saying attempts are being made to set up a “Punjab-type” criminal syndicate in Jammu and Kashmir.

L-G pays tributes to slain police officer

• Lt-Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said his administration is committed to create a “fear-free” Jammu and Kashmir as he paid tributes to police Sub-Inspector Deepak Sharma who died in an encounter with gangsters in Kathua district.
• “I salute the valour and indomitable courage of SI Deepak Sharma, who made supreme sacrifice while valiantly fighting and neutralising a most wanted gangster in Kathua. Deepest condolences to the family of martyr Deepak Sharma,” Sinha said

Sharma (32), who was posted at the Ramgarh (Samba) police station, suffered head injuries during the encounter that broke out on Tuesday evening outside the main hospital building in Kathua and subsequently, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Pathankot, the officials said, adding that Special Police Officer (SPO) Anil Kumar (40) also sustained injuries in the incident.

SI’s sacrifice won’t go in vain

Sharma’s sacrifice will not go in vain and the force will intensify its drive against narcotics and gangsters. —RR Swain, DGP, JK

Acting on a tip-off, a team of officials went after gangster Vasudev, a key accused in a murder case registered at the Ramgarh police station, leading to an exchange of fire near the GMC hospital around 10:30 pm on Tuesday, a police spokesperson said.

Vasudev was killed in the encounter while one of his associates was injured, she added. Vasudev was the leader of the notorious Shunoo group, sources said.

A wreath-laying ceremony for SI Sharma, who hailed from Sangoor village in Udhampur , was held at the District Police Lines in Samba. It was led by the DGP, Additional Director General of Police, Jammu Anand Jain and Senior Superintendent of Police, Samba Vinay Sharma.

“The Jammu police has taken its fight against narcotics and gangsters to a new level in the recent past.... We will go at it hammer and tongs to finish the menace as attempts are being made to set up a Punjab-type criminal syndicate,” Swain said in Samba.

“A strategy is being chalked out and we will get to its roots. They (criminals) are getting involved in land deals, narcotics and bovine smuggling to encash on the growing economic activities in the region where development has been taken to a different level with the setting up of industries, an AIIMS and educational institutions,” the DGP said.

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