ROURKELA: Two accused in a murder case were injured in an encounter with Rourkela police in Jhirpani area on Saturday.
The injured accused, Susant Naik (30) and Chunu Haripa (23), sustained bullet injuries to their legs and were admitted to the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) for treatment. Three others in the case, Rohit Mukhi (32), Rohit Haripa (23) and Jhonson Nag (23), were also arrested from the same area. They were booked for the murder of Toofan Bindhani on Tuesday.
Addressing mediapersons on Saturday, DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said police received information about the presence of the accused in the Jhirpani area and launched an operation to apprehend them. On spotting the police team, the accused allegedly opened fire in an attempt to evade arrest. Police retaliated with controlled firing, injuring two of the accused in the legs, while the remaining three were arrested, Rai said.
Police said the accused fired two rounds at the police team. One bullet hit the police vehicle while the other was fired into the air. The police fired four rounds to nab the accused.
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said the accused had been constantly changing locations and avoiding the use of mobile phones to prevent police from tracking them. “On Friday night, we received information that the accused were moving from Bondamunda to the Jhirpani area. After nearly three hours of search operations, the police team closed in on them near a forested patch. Four of them were arrested at the spot, while Nag was apprehended after a chase,” he said.
The SP said the accused were attempting to flee the city after the murder but lacked sufficient funds. They were allegedly trying to arrange money before escaping.
Police seized a country-made pistol, a magazine, live ammunition, two axes, a sharp weapon and three mobile phones from the accused. Efforts are underway to nab the remaining suspects involved in the crime, the SP added.
On Tuesday afternoon, a group of around 10 assailants allegedly hacked Bindhani to death while he was having food with friends near a Saguan plantation site in the Ganjampali slum area. Police attributed the murder to previous enmity.