Man who assaulted Delhi Police head constable held after encounter

A 24-year-old man accused of stabbing a Delhi Police head constable was arrested following an encounter in southeast Delhi’s Jaitpur area, officials said on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as Asif, was caught on 2 June after opening fire on a police team near the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. Police returned fire, injuring him in the leg. He was taken to AIIMS for treatment.

The case dates back to 27 May, when head constables Karan and Pawan were patrolling JD Musafir Marg. They spotted two men behaving suspiciously on a motorcycle. When confronted, one fled. The other, intercepted by HC Karan, attacked him with a knife and escaped.

The motorcycle was later found to be stolen. A case was registered, and CCTV footage helped identify the suspects as Asif and another man, Raja. Raja was arrested on 30 May and during questioning, revealed Asif’s involvement.

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Acting on a tip-off, police laid a trap on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway’s service road. Asif, riding another stolen motorcycle, tried to flee and fired three shots at the police team. Officers responded, hitting him in the right leg and arresting him. The bike he was riding was linked to an e-FIR registered at Lajpat Nagar police station.

A fresh FIR has been filed at Jaitpur police station.

According to police, Asif, a resident of Tanki Road in Jaitpur, is a known offender with a history of drug abuse and at least nine prior criminal cases, including robbery, snatching and auto theft. He was last arrested in November 2023 and had been out on bail since 14 May.

Asif is also wanted in three other cases, including one of attempted murder. Investigations are ongoing to determine his involvement in other offences, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)