Gurgaon: 2 killed in encounter

In fact,even the family is clueless how the men entered — the security guard has reportedly told police that the five forced their way in when the gate was unlocked to let in the car of Chaturvedi’s son Ankur,18.

This was around 9.30 pm.

By 10.30 pm,the police had rescued all seven family members,including children,and the encounter began by 11 pm. Within 45 minutes,the two were shot dead.

The police recovered a countrymade 9-mm pistol and a knife.

“The men asked us to give them all cash,jewellery and valuables,” Chaturvedi said on Saturday. “We gave them whatever they asked for.”

The family claims Chaturvedi’s wife was carrying her cellphone and made a quick call to the Police Control Room (PCR) in the melee. “The robbers probably did not realise she had made a call,” Chaturvedi said,“and while they were collecting the valuables,I escaped from the rear door.

“We were lucky a PCR van was at a nearby Durga Puja pandal and reached within no time.”

The police,though,said they received a call from the security guard after the assailants barged in.

Probably sensing that the police were zeroing in,three assailants fled in Ankur Chaturvedi’s car (Maruti SX4) even as two others were still inside.

Gurgaon Police Commissioner S S Deswal said the duo was found on the first floor and were killed in retaliatory fire.

But a conflicting version came from neighbour Rajni Sharma,who said Chaturvedi’s wife came to her house at 10.30 pm and said armed assailants had entered their house.

The police said the trio who escaped in the family’s car abandoned it in A-block and escaped with about Rs 1 lakh worth cash and valuables. Police found the front passenger window of the car smashed,probably with the butt of a locally made pistol that was nearby.

Police suspect the assailants did not know how to open the central locking,so they broke the window to escape.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Rakesh Arya said the bodies have been sent for postmortem. The police have registered a case under various sections of IPC and begun investigations.