PATNAGARH (BALANGIR):An accused in the kidnap of Bheden block chairperson’s husband in Bargarh district, shot himself dead after being cornered by Patnagarh police on Friday.
The deceased has been identified as Abhisekh alias Prem alias Mahesh Behera of Ambadola in Rayagada district. Sources said, Behera was part of a four-member gang which kidnapped Antaryami Pradhan, a teacher and husband of Sujata Pradhan, for ransom on November 24.
The gang comprises Nandi Nayak (24) of Sanbhalkupali village under Binka police limits in Sonepur district, Siba Shankar Khansama (23) and Ashok Kumar Pujari, both of Kaudela village under Koksara police limits in Kalahandi district.
The gang members had even managed to dupe the family members of Antaryami and took away his licensed revolver, 20 rounds of ammunition, gold ornaments, cash and mobile phone till he was rescued by police from Kantabanji in the district on November 25 night.
Police recovered two loaded country revolvers, four mobile phones and medicine besides SIM cards from their possession.
Acting on a tip off, Patnagarh police cornered the gang members at about 2 pm on Friday at Gangasagar, five kms from Patnagarh while they were on their way to Patnagarh in a car. When police stopped their vehicle, the accused rammed the police van and tried to flee only to be caught. While police managed to overpower three of them, Mahesh managed to escape by opening fire at police.
But, luck ran out and 30 minutes later he was confronted by police again. Mahesh shot himself dead to avoid arrest.
Bargarh SP B Jugal Kishore, who is in charge of Balangir, rushed to the spot along with a scientific team after being informed.
Police was on the look out for Mahesh for quite sometime. He was wanted in several criminal cases registered against him in the police stations of Bargarh and Balangir districts. It is learnt that the revolver used by Mahesh was the one which belonged to Antaryami Pradhan.