New Delhi, Aug 5 - A dreaded criminal wanted in five cases of murder, three cases of attempt to murder and several extortion bids in Delhi and neighbouring areas was arrested Wednesday after a brief gunfight with police, an official said.

'Contract killer' Sandeep Chaitanya, who carried a reward of Rs.50,000 for his capture, was arrested by a team of 12 policemen, who surrounded a double-storeyed building in pocket 10 of Sector-25 Rohini around 9.30 a.m.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern Range) Karnal Singh said that upon seeing the policemen Chaitanya locked himself on the first floor of the house and fired two shots at the policemen from inside.

The ground floor of the building houses the real estate office of Jai Bhola Associates.

'Our team was fully prepared because of his past criminal record. Our men also fired some shots in the air. We broke open the door, but he locked himself in one of the two rooms on the floor. We broke open the doors again with iron cutters and found Chaitanya hiding in the washroom,' Singh said.

'A 9 mm sophisticated pistol and 37 cartridges of different make were recovered from him which suggest that he might be in possession of some other weapons as well. We are interrogating him now for all other details as well,' he added.

The officer said no policeman was injured in the entire operation, which lasted some 45 minutes.