Rattled with a series of crimes in the capital in which gold jewelleries and cash worth lakhs of rupees were looted and four persons were left injured on Thursday, the Commissionerate police on Friday night decided on the lethal ‘remedy’ of encounter to tame the criminals.
Two wanted criminals involved in a series of
loot and robbery cases in the city were nabbed following an encounter with police near Tankapani Road.
The duo, identified as Arun Mallick alias Poda and Vivekananda Nayak alias Vivek, received bullet injuries in their legs during the encounter.
The duo was initially rushed to the Capital Hospital and later shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack as their conditions deteriorated.
Acting on a tipoff, a special squad of police had intercepted Poda and Vivek near Tankapani Road while they were waiting along with three of their associates in a car to execute a dacoity in the area.
In a bid to escape from the spot, Poda and Vivek opened fire at the cops. In retaliation, the police also returned fire injuring the duo. Police also seized a gun from their possession. But three of their associates managed to give the cops a slip. Police said as many as ten cases of loot; snatching and robbery are pending against Poda and Vivek at different police stations of the city.
Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty said the duo was involved in the looting of a car dealer on Puri-Cuttack Road and a hotel owner at Rasulgarh. After the incidents, police were keeping a watch on them; and after getting information about their movement, confronted them. Police are on the lookout for the others members of the gang.