New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) A dreaded criminal of Bangladeshi origin and one of his associates were arrested following a shootout in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka on Friday, police said.
Miraj alias Mehraj, 35, received a bullet injury in his leg while Shahid, 40, was overpowered by a team of the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch from a spot near Dhulsiras village in the early hours, they said.
A police officer said Miraj, a native of Bangladesh, was involved in a dacoity in a house in the Ashok Vihar area. He had decamped with cash and jewellery worth Rs 2 crore by holding the family members on gunpoint in May 2023, the officer added.
“Miraj was previously involved in five cases of dacoity and the Arms Act,” the officer said, adding that he has been admitted to a hospital.
The police said the duo were also involved in a similar robbery in east Delhi’s Preet Vihar on March 13, where they barged into a house and held captive the family members on gunpoint before fleeing away with Rs 5 lakh cash, expensive watches and jewellery worth in lakhs. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Bhatia said Miraj and his associates used to recce an area before targeting a house.
“They would often enter the house when the family was asleep during the wee hours,” Bhatia said.
Miraj is being interrogated to find out his involvement in other cases, the ACP said.
His associate Shahid is a native of West Bengal. He, too, has previous criminal records, the officer added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satish Kumar said Miraj has been staying in India for the past few years.
“He would travel from one place to another and commit robberies and dacoity. His associates didn’t even know his exact location as he would never use a mobile phone,” Kumar said. PTI ALK RPA
