Pune: In a late-night encounter on Law College Road, Pune, a group of sandalwood thieves attacked police officers on patrol, resulting in gunfire and injuries.

Police have now confirmed that they will press charges against the doctors who treated the injured thieves without informing authorities, a violation of required medico-legal procedures.

The incident unfolded on October 22 around 2:30 am when police constables Mahesh Tambe and Ganesh Satav from Deccan Police Station were conducting a routine patrol.

As they neared Janki Villa Bungalow, in the Abhinav College Lane area, they encountered a group of thieves suspected of sandalwood theft. Seeing the police, the suspects launched an attack, leading Constable Tambe to respond with gunfire, aiming at their legs in self-defense.

The shots wounded two individuals identified as Shahrukh Qadirkhan Pathan and Farukhkhan Qadirkhan Pathan, residents of Janzal in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.

Following the confrontation, police arrested an accomplice, Asif Harunkhan Golwal (24), and registered cases against other accomplices, including Nadeem Khan Latif Khan, Firoz Khan Sharif Khan, and Najim Khan Sadukhan.

Despite their injuries, the Pathan brothers managed to travel by motorcycle to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Upon reaching there, they received treatment for their gunshot wounds, but the treating doctors failed to report the injuries to the police as per medico-legal case requirements.

According to senior police officials, this omission potentially aided the suspects, prompting authorities to initiate legal action against the doctors involved.

Police efforts are currently underway to locate and apprehend the remaining suspects who fled the scene.