The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a notorious criminal who was accused of firing at police personnel at Connaught Place.
Bhisham Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) said, "Aashu Sharma, who was involved in firing at police personnel in August this year has been arrested."
"On the night of August 2 at around 11pm, a scuffle broke out between a group of six men and a cigarette vendor near Shivaji bus terminal in Connaught Place to open the shop and give them cigarettes. Since the vendor refused, a scuffle ensued. A passerby informed a police team which had placed barricades nearby. When the team reached the spot, the group of men opened fire on the police team. Police team too fired back four rounds in defence. After a brief encounter, the police team arrested four accused from the spot, while two of the men managed to escape. Following which police had registered a case at the Connaught Place police station," said a senior police officer.
The officer said that on September 30, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Crime Branch received a tip off that Ashu, wanted in the firing incident in Connaught Place in August would come near Power house in Dwarka sector 1 to meet his aide. Accordingly, a team was formed under ACP Jasbir Singh and a trap was laid to nab the accused. The accused, Ashu Sharma was nabbed by the team.
"During interrogation, Ashu revealed that he is a class 10 drop out and fell into bad company. He joined a gang led by one Aman Bhatia and started committing crime. In 2014, Ashu along with his associates Aman, Ankit and Hunny killed a 24-year-old man in Bindapur and dumped his mutilated body under the jurisdiction of Delhi Cantt police station, following which, Ashu was sent to jail for three years," said Singh.
The officer added that on the night of August 2 during the scuffle between the paan vendor and his associates, when the police team came, Ashu allegedly provoked Amit Bhatia to fire on police. Although Aman and two others were arrested by the police after a brief encounter, Ashu along with another gang member managed to escape.