The Commissionerate police on Sunday arrested seven culprits, including a dreaded criminal, after an encounter with the police in the wee hours of Sunday in the city. The dreaded criminal identified as Bibhu Jena (24) of Ganjam district was injured in the encounter. He was involved in the murder of a liquor salesman in the Old Town area of the city on February 2, police sources said.
Talking to reporters here, Twin City Commissioner of Police Dr RP Sharma said the historysheeter was undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. After his treatment is over, the police would interrogate him about his involvement in different crimes.
Dr Sharma said the Special Squad of the Commissionerate police, while on a night patrol on Saturday night, found two bike-borne youths moving from Kalinganagar towards Ghatikia. Seeing the police, they tried to speed up their bike but lost their balance at a turning and fell down. Suddenly, one of the youths opened five rounds of fire at the police, who retaliated with two rounds of fire. While one youth managed to escape, the other, who sustained bullet injuries on his right leg, was overpowered.
The Commissioner of Police said Jena was taken to the Capital Hospital, from where he was shifted to the SCB. Police have seized 800 gm gold, two firearms, four live bullets, cash worth Rs 91,000, two motorcycles and one four-wheeler from the criminals, he added. After getting information from Jena, the Khandagiri and the lingaraj police later arrested six members of the gang.
Dr Sharma said the police have started search operations in Brahmapur, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar to nab the other seven members of the gang, which is involved in several dacoity and burglary cases. “Jena is involved in several cases in the State. Besides, a case is pending against him in Tata Nagar of Jharkhand,” he added.