A criminal wanted in the robbery and murder case in the Gurudijhatia area was nabbed in a police encounter in the Choudwar area of Cuttack district on Monday.
The arrestee was identified as Muna Dehury. He is a resident of Gundichapur village under the Sadar police station in Dhenkanal district.
In the morning, the Choudwar police received a tipoff about movement of Muna in the Choudwar area and conducted a raid to nab him. After spotting the police team, Muna opened fire at the cops.
In self-defence, the police team led by the Choudwar PS IIC retaliated. In the gunfight, accused Muna sustained bullet wounds on his left leg while Sub- Inspector Partha Beura also sustained injuries.
Later, Muna was taken to the SCB Medical College Hospital here.
One 9 mm pistol, live ammunitions, two empty cartridges and motorcycle without number plate were seized from his possession.Police sources said, Muna was part of a gang of robbers, who had recently shot one Lala Lalit Singh near Nuapatna rice mill while looting cash and gold from him. Singh, who was on his way to Dhenkanal from Puri with his family when the incident took place, succumbed to the bullet injuries at the SCB Hospital.There are as many as 11 different cases of crime pending against Muna at various police stations in Cuttack and Dhenkanal districts.
This was the second encounter by the Choudwar police in the last 24 hours.
On Sunday, another hardcore criminal, Ajay Sahu alias Jitu, had been nabbed near the Tangi-Kapilash road following an encounter.