Mumbai police quizzing Gurgaon counterparts on gangster's killing

Mumbai police on Wednesday said they were quizzing the Gurgaon police crime branch team members who gunned down Haryana gangster Sandeep Garouli in an alleged shootout at a hotel in Andheri East.

"We are questioning all members of the Gurgaon crime branch, who claimed that Garouli was killed in an encounter. Some other people, including Garouli's aides and girlfriend are also being questioned," Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni, who is also the public relations officer of Mumbai police, told IANS over phone.

Kulkarni said Mumbai police were "kept in the dark" by their Gurgaon counterparts. He said they did not inform Mumbai police properly about the raid at the hotel in which the gangster was killed.

"We are investigating and an FIR will be registered against the Gurgaon policemen if they are found guilty," he said.

Garouli, a criminal wanted in over three dozen cases, was shot dead on February 7 by the Gurgaon team, comprising eight members and which was led by an inspector-rank officer. Two of his associates -- Deepak and Manish Khurana -- were arrested.

Garouli, around 35 years old and a native of Garouli village near Gurgaon, was the son of Haryana Police sub inspector Bhup Singh.

He had a reward of over Rs.1 lakh on his head, and was on the run for some time.

Meanwhile, Garouli's relatives refused to accept his body alleging that he was murdered by Gurgaon police in association with Binder Gujjar, a gangster-turned Gurgaon councillor and a rival who is now in Gurgaon jail.