ANGUL: Police on Sunday claimed to have cracked the midnight firing case by arresting the lone accused involved in the crime which left two siblings injured at Bhangamunda village in Kishorenagar area here.
The accused was identified as 34-year-old Prashant Mirdha of Bhangamunda. Police said the accused was nabbed from a nearby forest where he was hiding. On Thursday midnight, Prashant had opened fire at the house of daily wager Prafulla Mirdha leaving his two minor children critically injured.
Angul SP Rahul Jain said Prashant committed the crime due to previous enmity. Two years back, Prafulla had assaulted Prashant. Since then, the accused was nursing a grudge against Prafulla and was waiting for an opportunity to avenge his humiliation.
On the fateful night, Prashant opened fired at the asbestos house of Prafulla believing that he was sleeping inside. While Prafulla was not present in the house, his 14-year-old daughter Jagyaseni Mirdha and son Prakash Mirdha (11) suffered gunshot injuries in the firing, said Jain.
The siblings are now undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. During interrogation, the accused confessed to his crime. The country-made gun used in the crime has been seized, the SP added.