Habitual offender tries to flee custody, injured in cop firing

Guwahati: A 19-year-old habitual offender, with a history of snatching chains, mobiles and handbags, sustained injuries in police firing while trying to flee custody, police said on Tuesday.
The accused, identified Joydeb Mazumdar, sustained bullet injury in his right led below the knee in the firing on Monday night. He is currently receiving treatment at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and is said to be in a stable condition.
Police said there are about 60 complaints of chain snatching, mobile snatching and handbag snatching against the accused at different police stations across the city.
A police officer said the accused was arrested along with four of his accomplices a couple of days ago and taken to a place near Garchuk to recover the items he snatched. "However, at a place in Garbhanga, he complained of nausea and the urge to urinate. We stopped our vehicle. After getting down from the vehicle, he suddenly snatched the pistol of one sub-inspector and attempted to fire at us. Despite repeated warnings, when he refused to drop the weapon, we had no other choice but to fire a round at his leg in self-defence," the officer added.
The officer said the sub-inspector sustained minor injuries when the accused snatched the pistol.
It is the first such case this year, where an accused sustained injury in police firing while allegedly trying to escape police custody or snatch arms and target police.