3 cops hurt in gunfight with drug smugglers

Tarn Taran :An encounter between the Special Task Force (STF) of the police and a gang of smugglers in the district’s Kot Budha village last evening left three policemen injured. Gang leader Joginder Singh alias Sammi of Ferozepur’s Nihala Khilcha village was arrested. The police recovered 500-gm heroin, Rs34 lakh, 10 live rounds and a Pakistan-make pistol from him.
On a tip-off, the STF laid a “naka” near Kot Budha village. It signalled a car to stop. But occupants of the car fired at the police. The police retaliated. In the exchange of fire, Inspector Arun Sharma, head constable Manpreet Singh and constable Satpal Singh were injured. Joginder was arrested, but seven of his accomplices – including members of his family – managed to escape. His parents and sister are also into drug smuggling. Joginder was booked under Sections 21, 25, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act, and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at Patti Sadar police station.