Police on the wee hours of Wednesday arrested notorious criminal Santosh Behera after a shootout. Santosh was wanted in a number of extortion and bombing cases in various police stations in Ganjam district.
The police had a tipoff about Santosh and his associates movement on motorbikes in Poirasi, Chotabasa, Kainchapur and Khandadeuli area and a team led by the IICs of Ramba, Sergada and Hinjili, chased and intercepted them near village Poirasi.
The accused, who were moving in two motorbikes, spotting the police team fired at them. The police, in self defence fired back. Santosh was hit with a bullet on the thigh during the encounter and was rounded up. However, another accused Bijaya Moharana alias Mantu managed to escape from the spot taking advantage of the darkness. The Hinjili PS IIC also received injuries on his left elbow and a constable Cheneya Reddy was hit by a bullet on his left abdomen. The police recovered two black Pulsar motorcycles, a country made mouser, two bullets, five bombs and two mobile phones from the encounter site. Santosh was rushed to the Ramba hospital and later shifted to MKCG Medical College Hospital after his condition deteriorated.