ROURKELA: A hardcore criminal of Jharkhand was injured during an encounter with Rourkela police before being arrested with his accomplice from the bordering Bisra block of Sundargarh district in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Police identified the criminal as 32-year-old Biyes Lakhua and his accomplice Amit Topno (30) of Anandpur in adjacent Jharkhand.
DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai and Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said at around 3 am, police received credible intelligence about movement of the criminal duo in Bisra area in a white SUV with a firearm. It was immediately ascertained that both were fugitives and wanted in a criminal case of 2023 by Rourkela police.
Police launched a search and spotted a white SUV with Jharkhand registration number near Akshayasila waterfall. The DIG said police tried to intercept the vehicle and issued warning but the criminals did not pay any heed and opened fire. In retaliation, police resorted to controlled firing in which Lakhua suffered bullet injury in his leg.
While Lakhua was arrested, his crime partner managed to escape from the scene. However, Topno was later nabbed after a brief chase. Police sources said two rounds each were fired from both sides.
The SP said one country-made 9 mm pistol, magazine, four empty bullet cases and two mobile phones were recovered from the encounter spot. Lakhua was involved in several heinous crimes including murder for extortion, attempt to murder, illegal firearm trade and other such activities.
Wadhwani said so far, police have established two criminal cases each in Bisra police station of Sundargarh along with Anandpur and Manoharpur police stations of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand against Lakhua. Verification of his involvement in other cases is underway.
Similarly, Topno has one criminal case in Bisra police station and two in Anandpur police station. Other criminal antecedents of both the arrested persons are being checked, he added.