A group of masked men shot at a patrolling police team in Ranchi Sunday night, leaving a constable injured. According to the police, patrol teams were conducting regular checks around midnight near Ranchi Khalari area when shots were fired from inside a parked white car. According to official information, police noticed two masked men standing by the road, and as soon as the police approached them, they opened fire at the team. Constable Ram Sharikh Sharma of Khalari police station was hit on his leg by a bullet and was rushed to a Ranchi hospital, where doctors confirmed that he was stable. Station House Officer (SHO) Jaidev Toppo said the firing caused chaos, and that the assailants escaped while other jawans attended to the injured constable. The police gave them a chase but they escaped, he said. Ranchi SSP Rakesh Ranjan said the police were “scanning CCTV footage in and around Khalari to identify the vehicle used by the attackers”. “The injured constable has given his statement, which will help the investigation,” he said. Preliminary inputs suggest the attackers could be linked to coal or cattle smuggling rackets, which are known to be active in Khalari at night. Police believe the criminals opened fire to prevent being caught during the checking drive. “Investigation is ongoing, and further details will be shared later,” said SSP, adding that security had been tightened in the area.
