BERHAMPUR: The prime accused in the brutal public assault on a young couple sustained bullet injuries in an encounter with Berhampur police in the early hours of Thursday.
The accused, Mukesh Kumar Sahu (29) alias Muktesh, suffered two bullets wounds to his left knee, another to his right knee, and one to his left hand in the late-night shootout, said police.
Within hours, two more accused including Mukesh’s brother gave themselves up before the police.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said Mukesh was nabbed on Wednesday night. During sustained interrogation, he claimed to have knowledge of the hideout of the other accused in the case. Subsequently, Mukesh led a team of Town police, headed by IIC Ramsubramanyam Pradhan, towards Tamana Ghat, around 15 km from Berhampur.
However, after reaching Kirtipur chowk near the ghat, Mukesh reportedly snatched the service pistol of an ASI and opened fire on the police team, police said.
Saravana said the IIC fired four rounds at the accused in self-defence. The accused has been admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital. He would be arrested after his discharge from the hospital, the SP said.
Meanwhile, as the news of the encounter spread, Mukesh’s younger brother and another accused Asish Sahu surrendered before the Town police station in the afternoon. Police said the number of people arrested in connection with the attack on Umesh Ratha (23) and his fiancee Gayatri Patra has gone up to three.
However, sources said afraid of meeting the same fate as Mukesh, two other accused in the case, Dinesh Panda and Sandeep Sahu, also surrendered before police on the day. They are being questioned at an undisclosed location.
Southern range IG Niti Sekhar said Mukesh has over 10 criminal cases pending against him in different police stations. “No criminal activities would be tolerated further. All the criminals should either surrender or face police action,” he added.
On May 18, Umesh and Gayatri were waiting at an eatery on Giri Road in Berhampur when Mukesh and Asish along with their associates reached the spot. They dragged Umesh onto the road and brutally assaulted him with batons in full public view.
When Gayatri tried to shield Umesh with her body, she too was mercilessly beaten up. A video clip of the violent attack went viral on social media, sparking massive public outrage across the state.
A history-sheeter, Umesh has 15 criminal cases pending against him in various police stations of Berhampur.
The accused and Umesh reportedly shared a hostile past, which led to the assault.