Punjab: Murder accused opens fire at police, killed in retaliatory action

Amritsar: An arrested murder accused was killed in an exchange of fire on Sunday while trying to escape police custody when he was taken to a place here to recover the weapon used in the crime, officials said.

A few days earlier, the Amritsar Rural Police had apprehended Bishemberjit Singh and Sharanjit Singh from a hotel in Himachal Pradesh's Solan in a murder case registered here on March 9.

During an investigation into the case, Bishemberjit Singh told police that he had concealed the weapon at Sherobaga village. He was taken to the spot to recover the weapon.

Upon reaching the spot, he picked up a pistol hidden there and fired at the police in his attempt to flee, thereby injuring a personnel, according to a statement issued here.

The police team resorted to retaliatory firing in which the accused sustained bullet injuries. He was immediately taken to the Civil Hospital where doctors declared him "brought dead", police said.