New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS): Police said on Friday that they had arrested three criminals from the Kapil Sangwan gang when they were planning to eliminate members of a rival gang led by Manjit Mahaly.

Tarun Kumar, Nakul Sangwan and Rohit Gahlawat were arrested on a tip from the residence of Kapil Sangwan in Najafgarh on Friday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Anto Alphonse said.

"Sensing police presence outside the residence, the three panicked and opened fire on the police party in a bid to escape. But none of the police personnel were hurt as they had bullet proof jackets," Alphonse said.

The three, from Haryana, were later overpowered.

Nakul Sangwan, a cousin of Kapil Sangwan, disclosed that he and the others were planning to provide security to his brother (Kapil) in a Gurugram court as they feared that the rival gang would carry out an ambush in the court, the officer said.

So they decided to carry out an attack in advance to create terror.

Kapil Sangwan is lodged in Bhondsi jail in Gurugram.

A pistol made in Turkey and two pistols with 40 live cartridges were recovered from the three arrested men.