In yet another encounter by the Ganjam police, two notorious criminals were injured in an exchange of fire with police at Kanheipur road near Kandhigar here on Sunday night.
The criminals were identified as Souri Nahak and his associate Mitu Pradhan. The duo was rushed to the Khalkikote CHC with bullet injuries, police sources said.
The police team on a tipoff intercepted them and asked them to stop. But instead they fired at the police to escape from the spot. In self-defence, the police fired back. Both received bullet injuries on their legs.
The police seized two pistols, five live bullets and one pulsar motor cycle from their possession.
The duo has more than 38 cases pending against them in various police stations in Ganjam, Nayagarh and Khordha districts.
Notably, after taking over as Ganjam SP Asish Singh has launched a crackdown against the criminal gangs and carried out more than 30 encounters, in which a number of hardcore gangsters have been nabbed after gun battle with the cops.