Two shootouts, two districts: Police fire at two criminals in ‘self-defence’

On Friday, in two separate incidents that occurred within a two-hour window, police in Gujarat fired at two criminals who had attacked them while they were in custody, claiming self-defense. The first confrontation took place in Surendranagar district, where a bootlegger, Devendra, alias Dendu Boricha, was being transported to a police station when he tried to snatch an official's service weapon.

This resulted in Boricha being shot in both of his legs. Boricha, who is wanted in over 15 cases, including extortion and possession of illegal arms, was later transferred to a private hospital in Ahmedabad after being treated at Shrimad Rajchandra Sarvamangal Hospital in Surendranagar.

In the second incident, in Rajkot, a man named Anurag Singh Rajput, who was being held in police remand following his arrest in a murder-loot case, attacked the cops during the recovery of the murder weapon. Rajput allegedly stole gold and silver worth Rs 1.53 crore from the victim, Lalji Sardhara, and hid the weapon in the bushes.

When the police confronted him, Rajput pulled out a weapon and fired two shots at the officers, one of which hit Rajput in the right leg. He was subsequently taken to Rajkot Civil Hospital and charged with attempt to murder and other offenses under the Arms Act.