Bhubaneswar rape accused shot in leg after allegedly firing at police

A man accused of raping a woman at gunpoint in Bhubaneswar was injured during an alleged exchange of fire with police on Saturday.

Odisha TV reported that the accused allegedly opened fire while trying to escape. Police returned fire, injuring him in the leg, according to the report.

The man was taken to Capital Hospital for treatment. His identity and present condition were not immediately disclosed.

The development is linked to the alleged rape of a 26-year-old woman at her rented home in Bhubaneswar’s Nayapalli area on Wednesday night. The woman told police that a masked intruder entered the flat, threatened her with a gun and raped her.

The New Indian Express reported earlier on Saturday that police had examined footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras while tracing the suspect. Bhubaneswar DCP Saravana Vivek M said investigators had received some clues from the footage.

The Odisha State Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the case and sought a detailed report from the Bhubaneswar DCP within 15 days.

Odisha TV said further details about the shooting were awaited. It also reported that the Commissionerate Police had not issued an immediate comment on the incident.