Additional DCP R.S. Ghuman said he was allegedly shot by Pramod, a criminal, with a country-made revolver while they were raiding his hideout. ``He lost his life in trying to make the city safer for us,'' said Ghuman.

The ADCP said that it was a police drive to round up those criminals who are not reporting to the police regularly or have changed their addresses without informing the police. They have already apprehended 7,000 criminals in the last three months in South district.

A team of seven policemen on a verification drive in South Delhi this afternoon arrested Sanjay, who is involved in four cases including an attempt to murder, in Katwaria Sarai. On interrogation, it was found that his associate Pramod -- wanted by the Hauz Khas station -- had a hideout in Ghitorni village on the Mehrauli-Gurgaon road. It was later found to be Maharaj Singh's uncles's house.

The team, ADCP says, decided to raid the Ghitorni house. While Maharaj Singh and head constable Samar Singh dressed in plain-clothes decided to go to the house, others stayed outside the village.

The room which was pointed out by Sanjay as Pramod's hideout was found locked. Just then, a man approached them and opened fire, said Ghuman. Samar Singh overpowered Pramod. According to Ghuman, it was commendable on his part to follow their brief and not retaliate if criminals open fire. ``At the rate at which we are losing men, we will change our policy of not retaliating in near future,'' said Ghuman.

By then, the villagers gathered in the area. Confusion prevailed as they could not differentiate between the criminals and the police. They beat up both Pramod and Samar Singh who were also taken to AIIMS for treatment.

Meanwhile, Maharaj Singh's uncle Chander Pal denies that he had any knowledge of their criminal activities. ``I did not know that they are bad elements,'' he said.

The villagers have their story to tell. Why would policemen dress in civilian clothes when conducting a raid, they ask. Also, the other team waiting outside took nearly 20 minutes to reach the spot The police, however, have denied any such discrepancy in the sequence of events.The villagers claim that Pal had asked his nephew to settle scores with Pramod with whom he was having trouble. The police have denied the allegation.

Singh is survived by his wife Sumita, three daughters and a one-year-old son. Samar Singh had earlier been given an out-of-turn promotion for rescuing people from the Uphaar fire.