Bhubaneswar: A dreaded criminal was injured in an encounter with Commissionerate Police in Odisha capital late on Saturday.
The accused, identified as Jitendra Palei aka Jitu, was wanted in cases of bombing and attempt to murder by Kharvela Nagar police.
According to sources, police had information about Jitu travelling to Bhubaneswar from Niali in a car. Accordingly, a team of police officials led by Kharvela Nagar IIC Rajnikant Mishra flagged down the car near Tankapani Road around 1.30 am, but it speeded away taking the kucha road along Bankual Kuakhai river embankment.
A chase ensued and Jitu then started firing at the police team, which retaliated in self defence. The accused got injured in the controlled firing. He was rushed to Capital hospital here and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, police said.
Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said that he was involved in the bomb attack on a jeweller at Kharvela Nagar area on March 17. “Investigation revealed that Jitu had attacked the jeweller last year after taking a contract. More than 30 cases are pending against him Cuttack, Khurda, Puri and Jagatsinghpur. He had earlier fled after firing on a havildar in Bhubaneswar,” he said.
