PURI: Police nabbed a wanted criminal after a gunfight near Pipili road over bridge late on Thursday.
He was identified as Bhagirathy Pradhan alias Bhagu. SP Umashankar Dash said Bhagu was wanted in several criminal cases by Puri police. He was evading police for quite some time.
On a tip off that Bhagu was on his way to Nimapara, a police team set a trap. At around 1 am, he was spotted approaching the bridge on a motorcycle and was stopped. However, the criminal tired to escape by firing at police.
In retaliatory firing by police, Bhagu sustained bullet injury on his left leg and fell down. Subsequently, he was captured. Police recovered a pistol with live ammunition from him. The criminal was first rushed to Pipili hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
Bhagu is involved in four murder cases and scores of other criminal cases under Kumbharpada and Talabania police stations.