CCS head constable K. Pradeep caught armed theft suspect Bathula Prabhakar's hand but the accused pulled out a loaded 7.65 calibre pistol from his right side and shot at another head constable Venkat Reddy.
Hyderabad:Unarmed personnel of the Central Crime Station (CCS) police showed exemplary courage and ignored their personal safety wile nabbing theft suspect Bathula Prabhakar, who was carrying two weapons and opened fire with one of them, on Saturday. The arrest took place just before he entered a crowded pub.
"It was 7.40 pm when we got information about the suspect’s arrival at a pub,” said CCS head constable K. Pradeep. He and head constables Marri Venkat Reddy and Veera Swamy rushed to the spot. “We took his pictures to cross-check and from towards the suspect," said Pradeep told Deccan Chronicle.
Pradeep caught Prabhakar's hand but the accused pulled out a loaded 7.65 calibre pistol from his right side and shot at Venkat Reddy.
Pradeep said, "We hardly had any time to react. Even as I held his right hand and was pushing him towards the ground, Prabhakar fired at Venkat Reddy. The bullet scraped Venkat Reddy's thigh and went through his toe."
"By then Venkat Reddy and Veera Swamy had caught the accused by the shoulder from both sides. Prabhakar gave us another shock. While I was taking away his first pistol, he took out another pistol from his left pocket," Pradeep said.
The police managed to take away that weapon as well and restrain Prabhakar. They tied his hands and legs with ropes.
"If Pradeep would have not pushed him to the ground, Prabhakar would have easily killed all three of us," Veera Swamy told Deccan Chronicle.
Sources said a team led by DCP CCS K. Narasimha, ACP Shashank Reddy and inspector B. Sanjeev kept a constant surveillance at high-end pubs and gymnasiums in Cyberabad for 15 days.
On Saturday, police received a tip-off that a person with the traits of the suspect was about to enter the pub. “We compared him with the pictures that we had, identified him through his preferred attire of black coat, black shirt, dark jeans and sports shoes," Veera Swamy said. “He spotted us and immediately realised who we were.”
Police have been working on this case since December 19 last year, based on footage of Prabhakar from CCTV cameras from a house burglary and theft at an engineering college in Moinabad.
"On January 8, Prabhakar committed another robbery at an engineering college. Based on the CCTV footage, we concluded these offences were committed by Prabhakar," DCP, Madhapur, CCS, K. Narasimha told Deccan Chronicle.
"We hardly had any technical clues to trace him. We formed 12 teams, one of them coordinated with AP Police. Another team studied his methods, his hobbies, dressing style and appearance. We came to know that he always dressed in black and wore sports shoes," Narasimha said.
" We came to know that Prabhakar was habituated to visiting high-end pubs, gyms, hotels and saloons," the DCP said. That is when police began their surveillance.
"I appreciate the work of the brave Venkat Reddy, Veera Swamy and Pradeep, who risked their lives and apprehended the notorious offender," DCP added.
Venkat Reddy is undergoing surgery for his right thigh at a hospital. Doctors have managed to save his toe.
