BERHAMPUR/ASKA : Police arrested two sharp shooters, including one hailing from Uttar Pradesh, after an exchange of fire with them at Karnoli in Ganjam district, about 40 km from here, on Tuesday. The accused, identified as Laxman Niranjan Rajput (27) of Uttar Pradesh and Tuna Gouda (25) of Kodala in Ganjam, sustained bullet injuries on their right legs in the exchange of fire. Recently, DIG Asish Singh got information that sharp shooters were engaged by a group in Aska to eliminate their rivals.
Accordingly, the Aska police kept a vigil on the outsiders. On Tuesday, while Rajput and Gouda were proceeding on a motorcycle, police gave them a chase. The police intercepted them near a hill in Karnoli village. The duo fired six rounds on police causing injuries to IIC Santosh Jena and constable Mukti Pradhan. In the retaliatory firing by the police, both Rajput and Gouda were injured.
Police seized 2.9 mm pistols with six live bullets, two mobile phones and the motorcycle. The two were admitted to Aska Hospital and later shifted to MKCGMCH. Police started a manhunt for the persons who had engaged the sharp shooters. Jena said the villagers of Karnoli were divided into two groups during the panchayat poll. Three persons of both the groups were killed during poll-related violence. Several cases were registered against both the groups.3 held for murder:
Three persons, allegedly involved in Babula Patra murder case, were nabbed by Aska police on Tuesday. Police sources said the Aska police team, headed by IIC S K Jena, raided the houses ofBalaram Patra, Tara Dash and Pratap Patra of Jayapur village and nabbed them in connection with Babula murder case. The murder had taken place on January 21. The victim’s body was recovered by police on January 26. The murder was a fallout of land dispute between Babula Patra and his younger brother Santosh Patra. Santosh allegedly killed Babula and the three accused had helped him in the crime. The trio were produced before local JMFC court which remanded them in judicial custody.