A senior Ahmedabad Crime Branch officer was injured and a history-sheeter was shot in the leg on Thursday, 2 July after the suspect allegedly lunged at police with a kitchen knife during questioning at a hut near Chandola Lake, following the recovery of four illegal firearms and cartridges from the site. The accused, identified as Mohammad Kalim alias Kalim Bhai Akbarkhan Pathan, 34, is a labourer from Shah Alam, Ahmedabad, with 35 prior criminal cases on record.

How the Raid Unfolded

Crime Branch officers acted on specific intelligence and raided the hut after receiving a tip that Kalim had concealed illegal weapons there. Officers recovered four firearms and cartridges, completed the required electronic evidence panchnama, and began questioning the accused at the recovery site — a decision that Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sharad Singhal later acknowledged as a procedural lapse.

Singhal, who happened to be passing nearby and reached the spot, was among those questioning the accused when the attack occurred. According to Singhal, only he, Police Inspector Imran Ghasura, and the accused were inside the small hut at the time, as Kalim had already been searched following the weapons seizure.

The Attack and the Police Response

'While we were questioning him, there were kitchen knives lying beside him in the kitchen. He picked up one of those knives and tried to attack me near my neck. My natural reaction was to raise my left hand in self-defence, and I sustained a cut on my hand. He struck me two or three times,' Singhal said.

After repeated warnings to drop the weapon went unheeded, Singhal took Inspector Ghasura's service revolver and fired one round at the suspect's leg. 'After that he calmed down,' Singhal said. Both men were subsequently taken to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for treatment. Singhal sustained injuries to his left hand and is expected to return to duty ahead of the Rath Yatra festival. Kalim was reported to be out of danger.

Accused's Criminal Background and Alleged Arms Source

Kalim carries an extensive criminal history — he has been booked in 35 previous cases involving attempted murder, assault, robbery, theft, possession of prohibited weapons, gambling, and violations of the Gujarat Police Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A Preventive Detention order under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) was issued against him in 2018, and five preventive actions have been taken against him in the past.

According to investigators, Kalim allegedly procured the firearms from the Lala gang in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh. 'We are checking who was supplying them here and for what purpose. That will emerge during interrogation,' Singhal said.

Cases Registered and Procedural Review

Police have registered two criminal cases against Kalim: one under the Arms Act for the seizure of four firearms, and a second that includes a charge of attempted murder following the attack on the officer.

Singhal also used the incident to issue a clear directive on interrogation protocol. 'I want to tell all my subordinates that interrogation should not be conducted at the spot. It is better to bring the accused to the Crime Branch and interrogate him there. Questioning should take place in an open area where the accused is not in a position to attack,' he said.

Singhal also noted that neither he nor his team was in Crime Branch uniform during the operation, meaning Kalim was reportedly unaware of the officer's seniority. He urged the media not to frame the episode as evidence of criminals growing bolder against senior officers, pointing out that the accused appeared to be under the influence of drugs at the time. Further questioning is expected to establish the full supply chain behind the weapons and their intended purpose.