At 9.50 pm on Thursday, a black Mahindra Scorpio, its number plates deliberately masked with black tape, pulled up outside a two-storey home of businessman Vishal Beri in Gurgaon’s Sushant Lok.Five armed men were inside. According to police, three stepped out and opened indiscriminate fire at Beri’s house and neighbouring properties, while another filmed the attack on his mobile phone, allegedly on the instructions of his gangster boss.Before the assailants could inflict further damage or flee, police teams in the vicinity swiftly moved in.What followed was a 40-minute gun battle that left four alleged members of the Deepak Nandal gang dead. The fifth assailant and three policemen were injured.Police said they had foiled an alleged extortion-cum-murder plot orchestrated by Nandal, who they said is operating from London.The operation, police said, marked a major success for the Crime Branch, which had been on high alert following a string of recent threats made to local business families.A stakeoutAccording to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime) Naveen Sharma, the sequence of events was set in motion when they received specific intelligence inputs over the last week regarding an imminent firing and murders.Story continues below this adIn response, Crime Branch teams from Sectors 40, 39, and 17 mounted heavy surveillance around potential targets.“On Thursday, before the assailants could inflict further damage or flee, the pre-deployed police teams moved in and cordoned off the area,” Sharma said.He said the teams issued clear warnings, giving the men an opportunity to surrender. “However, the shooters ignored the warnings and opened fire on the police perimeter. In response, police fired with long-range weapons,” the ACP said. A bullet mark on a wall at the site of an encounter between Gurgaon Police Crime Branch teams and suspected criminals in the Sushant Lok Phase-2 area. (PTI Photo)Three police personnel — constables Manjeet Singh and Shamsher Singh, and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sunil Kumar — suffered bullet injuries in the volley of firing.Story continues below this adThen, after firing warning shots in the air, police retaliated in self-defence.Police said all five suspects sustained gunshot wounds in the controlled retaliatory fire that went on till around 10.30 pm.They were rushed to a local hospital for primary treatment. Four of the shooters succumbed to their injuries, while the fifth remains hospitalised in critical condition. The three injured policemen are currently undergoing treatment.Who are the shootersPolice have identified the four deceased shooters and the lone survivor, revealing a network of criminals drawn largely from Rohtak — where Nandal hails from.Story continues below this ad-Nitin (from Rohtak): Police said he had two prior cases registered in Rohtak, including attempted murder and possession of illegal weapons.-Aryan and Ankit: Police said their criminal records are currently being scrutinised. Outside the house of businessman Vishal Beri in Gurgaon’s Sushant Lok. (Express Photo)-Deepa alias Sandeep from Fatehabad: A history-sheeter with 14 FIRs in serious cases registered against him, including charges under the Arms Act, the NDPS Act, and other heinous crimes.-Shivam (from Nuh): The sole surviving shooter, currently in critical condition.Investigation and recoveriesStory continues below this adPolice said they recovered a significant cache of weaponry: five modern pistols, over 50 empty shell casings, several live cartridges, and the black Scorpio used in the commission of the crime.Following standard protocol for police encounters, senior officials were immediately notified via the police control room. Scene of Crime teams, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) personnel, and ballistic experts were dispatched to the site to collect scientific evidence in the presence of an Executive Magistrate.Police said an FIR has been registered at the DLF police station under Section 25(1-B)(a) of the Arms Act, alongside multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).These include 109(1) [attempt to murder]; 111(3) and 111(4) [abetting and participating in organised crime syndicates]; 121(1) and 132 [causing hurt and assaulting public servants to deter them from their duty]; 221 [obstructing a public servant]; 262 [resisting lawful apprehension or escaping custody]; and 3(5) [criminal acts committed by multiple persons with a common intention].Story continues below this adIn a statement, the Gurgaon Police reaffirmed its “zero-tolerance” policy, asserting that decisive action against organised crime, extortion rings, and illegal arms smuggling will continue and no criminal will be considered above the law.