Rourkela: In a dramatic pre-dawn breakthrough on Saturday, police shot and injured the two prime accused in the sensational murder of 29-year-old Tofan Bindhani during a double encounter.
The suspects, identified as Chunu Haripa and Sushant Nanda, sustained bullet injuries to their legs during an exchange of fire with police during a chase over Koel River bridge near Jhirpani area around 3:30 am. They were immediately shifted to Rourkela Government Hospital under tight security for treatment.
The encounter occurred after a four-day intensive manhunt. Police had received specific intelligence about the duo hiding in the Jhirpani riverfront vicinity. When a special team cordoned off the area and asked them to surrender, the accused allegedly opened fire. Police retaliated in self-defence, targeting their legs to immobilise them. A firearm, ammunition, and other items were recovered from the spot, and a forensic team was deployed to collect evidence. Another suspect reportedly escaped during the operation.
Bindhani, a resident of Rameswarpalli slum and a helper with the Rourkela Municipal Corporation, was brutally hacked to death on the afternoon of June 16, in Saguan plantation area near Ganjampali slum under Sector-6.
According to police, he and his associates, including Subhendu Sethi, were having food at an isolated spot when around 10 assailants from a rival group suddenly attacked them with swords, axes, and other sharp weapons. Bindhani was tied up and killed on the spot, while Sethi suffered serious injuries.
Police linked the murder to previous enmity over a violent altercation between Bindhani and the accused group just two days earlier. Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 126(2), 103(1), 109(1), 118(1), and 3(5), based on a complaint by the victim’s family that named several youths from the Narayanpali slum.
The gruesome daylight killing triggered widespread outrage in Ganjampali and surrounding areas. Angry residents staged protests outside the Sector-7 police station and later at an MLA’s residence, demanding swift arrests, criticising alleged policing lapses, and even calling for the demolition of houses linked to the accused.
Police formed multiple special teams that conducted raids across districts, including areas near the Jharkhand border, as the suspects switched off their mobile phones and went into hiding. While Chunu and Sushant are now in custody, teams continue to hunt for the remaining gang members.
