The Tribune, January 1, 2005

Special cell sleuth killed in shootout
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 31
A sub-inspector posted with the Special Cell of the Delhi Police was shot dead by associates of dreaded gangster Kishan Pahelwan in a daring encounter. The SI had gone to Panipat on the evening of December 30 to apprehend the criminals. The deceased, who was instrumental in cracking several cases in the Special Cell, has been identified as Mehtab Singh. The sleuths had received secret information that associates of Kishan Pahelwan would be arriving near Sugar Mill Colony, Panipat, on December 30 and, accordingly, a special team led by SI Mehtab Singh was despatched to the city. The team, with the assistance of Panipat police, took position outside the Sugar Mill Colony.

The team spotted one Sundre and his associates on a motorcycle at around 4.45 pm; when the sleuths tried to question the latter, they immediately started firing at the police party. The sleuths also fired in self-defense and in the ensuing encounter Mehtab Singh and Sundre sustained injuries and were rushed to the Civil hospital, where both were declared brought dead. However, the sleuths managed to apprehend two of their associates and recovered three pistols — a Remington .455, a 9 mm Browning and a country-made contraption — from their possession. The sleuths said that Sundre was involved in several cases of murder, extortion and attempt to murder in Delhi and Haryana. The Haryana Police had announced a Rs 50,000 reward for his arrest.

SI Mehtab Singh had been involved in several sensational cases like Parliament House shootout, the arrest of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists involved in planting IEDs in North and South blocks, and the grenade attack on BSF headquarters in New Delhi. He was also involved in the Millenium Park encounter on August 30, 2003, the Humayun Tomb encounter on May 9, 2002, the Anzal Plaza encounter on November 4, 2002 and the Tughlaqabad encounter on December 14, 2002. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police Commissioner, Dr K K Paul, who expressed grief over the death of SI Mehtab Singh, has announced an immediate grant of Rs two lakh to his family. Further, the government and the UTI bank have been approached for releasing an ex gratia payment.