Car theft kingpin arrested after encounter in Patiala

The Patiala police on Monday arrested the main accused in the November 21 car theft case after a brief encounter on the Patiala-Sangrur bypass and seized a .32 caliber pistol from him.

The arrested accused, identified as Sarovar Singh, sustained injuries when the police shot him in the leg. He is undergoing treatment at Rajindra Government Hospital in Patiala.

Police said Sarovar along with his unidentified accomplices stole a Thar SUV from a Nabha resident after he got into the car on the pretext of taking it for a spin before purchasing it. The victim, Chirag Chhabra, wanted to sell his SUV and the arrested accused along with his associates came as a potential buyer.

Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Nanak Singh said that Shaminder Singh’s team, in-charge of the Criminal Investigation Agency (CIA), received information regarding the movement of a stolen SUV on the Patiala-Sangrur Bypass Road, following which a naka was set up.

“When our officers asked the accused to stop the vehicle for a naka,