Doraha, Jan 19: A high-stakes encounter on Rampur Road ended with the arrest of two criminals Monday morning after a shootout that left a local police official saved by his protective gear. The Doraha police successfully intercepted a black Scorpio without registration plates following a tip-off, leading to a direct confrontation that left one suspect wounded.
The suspects attempted to ram their vehicle into a police jeep carrying Doraha SHO Akash Dutt and CIA staff members around 8 am. During the ensuing chaos, the criminals discharged three rounds at the officers. One bullet struck SHO Dutt directly in the chest, though he remained uninjured as the projectile was stopped by his bulletproof jacket.
“The SHO’s bravery and spontaneous reaction is worth appreciating,” DSP Payal Jaswinder Singh said while recounting the morning’s events. Singh noted that the officer’s immediate response to the intelligence provided allowed the team to successfully apprehend the fleeing men.
In the exchange of gunfire, SHO Dutt returned fire, striking one of the suspects in the leg. That individual, identified as Harsimran alias Mand, a resident of village Bhutta in Ludhiana, was transported to Civil Hospital Payal for medical treatment. His accomplice, Avanjot Singh Bhandal of Rara Sahib, was taken into immediate police custody.
Investigators recovered two .32-bore pistols from the scene of the shootout. According to police records, Harsimran was a wanted individual in connection with a case registered at the Doraha police station in October 2025, alongside two additional cases at the Machhiwara and Sadar police stations.
“Forensic and scientific clues are being collected from the spot and the action will be decided accordingly,” DSP Singh said. While Harsimran’s criminal history is well-documented, authorities are currently working to ascertain the prior record of Bhandal.
