Nanhe Lal and Tejbir, attired in plain clothes, were on a special assignment: several incidents of robbery had been reported from the area in the past few days; there were also reports that the area was a favourite hideout for robbers.

The policemen were surveying the area on a cycle-rickshaw. Nanhe Lal was driving the rickshaw, while his colleague posed as his passenger. They had reached the Babarpur bus terminus around 5.30 a.m. and had stopped the rickshaw for a few minutes, when four youths accosted them. Two of them reportedly brandished knives, while another whipped out a country-made pistol. They asked the policemen to give up their valuables.

When Nanhe Lal and Tejbir objected, the youth with the country-made pistol opened fire. Tejbir retaliated with his service revolver, injuring one of the youths -- later identified as Shabbir, 22 -- on his left leg.