Barnala police claimed to have arrested two persons, including a notorious gangster, after a brief exchange of fire near the old toll plaza in the Mehal Kalan area on Barnala-Ludhiana national highway around 5.30 am today.The police also claimed to have recovered two pistols, four live cartridges and a car from their possession.Mehal Kalan DSP Satwinder Singh said the police team along with the CIA staff and Counter Intelligence officials had set up a checkpoint on the basis of specific information about the movement of suspects in a Verna car.“When the vehicle approached the checkpoint, the police team signalled it to stop. One of the occupants opened fire at the police party. As the police attempted to block the vehicle with barricades, the driver tried to evade the checkpoint. The police team also opened fires. Yhe car went out of control and crashed into roadside trees. The accused fired again, following which the police overpowered both suspects without any reported injuries to the police personnel, “ said the DSP.The arrested accused have been identified as Arshdeep Singh alias Arshi, a resident of Bhagatgarh village, and Gursharan Singh, a resident of Raunta village in Moga district.The police said that Arshdeep was wanted by Barnala police in several criminal cases and is a notorious gangster operating in the region.Further investigation is under way.