"Operation Desert Safari" continues...

On the top floor lived several young men who were usually up to no good.
Immediately, Rajbir led a group of his best men up the staircase of that house which was 12/22 Sarvapriya Vihar. Another team surrounded the whole area. Very soon there was sound of rapid gunfire and almost simultaneously a scream and a loud thud were heard. Someone had rushed out and jumped into the stairwell of the adjoining house. There was more gunfire. A couple appeared on the balcony of the adjoining house with a wailing child pleading to be evacuated. I had a tough time pacifying them and assuring them that they had nothing to worry. A crowd had begun to gather at both ends of the lane as well as on the balconies and terraces of buildings around, people with grim and scared faces. The gun battle slowly abated. I suddenly saw Thekkat Sidhique appear on the terrace with two Special Cell officers who soon brought him down. He was in tears, in a state of total disbelief and shock. I
introduced myself and dialled his brother's number from my mobile. Quite expectedly, there was untold relief and jubilation at the other end. Everyone in Thekkat's family spoke to me
expressing gratitude. Koya, Thekkat's brother, was apologetic for having been impolite and
impatient with me. He was full of praise for the CBI and the Delhi Police for what we had done.

Thekkat took control of his senses and informed us that two of his tormentors had left in a car shortly before we arrived. Amar, the person who had received him at the airport, had gone to see off an accomplice at the railway station. Quite incredibly, a car drove into the lane where we stood, unmindful of the crowd that had gathered. Thekkat shouted that it was the same car. Some of us ran and caught the man at its wheel. He identified himself as Rakesh Saraha and the person whom he had seen off was Santosh Acharya, a notorious gangster of Mumbai belonging to the Fazlu-Ali Budesh gang.

To be continued...