A hardcore criminal Seikh Babu sustained critical bullet injuries in an encounter with police near the Barang area on Thursday night.
Babu, who sustained bullet injuries on his left leg in the gun battle, was admitted to the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack.
A special squad of the Commissionerate police along with a team of the Dargha Bazar police had intercepted Babu near Barang and asked him to surrender.
But instead he started firing indiscriminately at the cops. In retaliation, police also fired at him. The gun battle continued for quite some time, sources said.The Dargha Bazar police station IIC and a Havildar of the special squad also sustained injuries in the encounter.
Police have seized a gun, two rounds of live bullets and a bike from Babu’s possession.Around 21 cases including some serious criminal offences are pending against Babu at different police stations in Cuttack city, police said.