2 hold family captive at gunpoint in northeast Delhi, nabbed after shootout

NEW DELHI: Two armed criminals held a family captive at gunpoint after being trapped in their house in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur while escaping from a police team early on Friday. Police had conducted a raid to nab the two wanted men. In a brief exchange of fire, both men were shot in the leg and the victims were rescued by police.
The arrested men have been identified as 25-year-old Shahwaj alias Shahbej Qureshi, a resident of Jafrabad, and 25-year-old Arbaj, who was recently released from jail on parole. Two loaded pistols and a magazine were seized from them.

The encounter took place at 12.35am after cops raided a house in Nand Ram Mohalla at Brahmpuri in Jafrabad following a tip-off that the two wanted criminals were hiding on the first floor of the building. However, as soon as the police team headed to the first floor, the two criminals ran towards the terrace so that they would not get trapped.
DCP (Northeast) Sanjay Kumar Sain said when the police team chased them, the duo jumped onto the terrace of the adjoining building and entered a house.
“Our men combed the area and searched all nearby houses. One house was found locked from inside and the owner did not open the gate despite repeated attempts. The cops got suspicious and kept knocking. Soon, the owner of the house opened the gate. He seemed scared and requested the team to save his family. He said that the two men were hiding in his house and holding his family hostage at gunpoint,” added Sain.
When Arbaj and Shawaj heard the cops approaching and realised that they were trapped, they opened fire. “They fired three rounds. In retaliation, the police team shot them in their legs. They were overpowered and their weapons were seized. The family members were rescued safely,” said the DCP.