Berhampur/Jeypore: Two dreaded criminals were arrested while three policemen were injured in separate encounters in Ganjam and Koraput districts late on Thursday.
In the first incident, a dreaded criminal Jaya Pradhan was injured in an encounter with the police near Changudidei hill in Digapahandi block of Ganjam district late on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off that Jaya and his associate were planning a dacoity at Digapahandi, a team of Digapahandi police led by the IIC raided the hill area. Seeing the police, Jaya opened fire on them. During the cross-fire, Jaya was injured after a bullet hit his left leg. Besides, three policemen, including the IIC, were injured during a scuffle with Jaya.
Police later seized a country-made pistol, some country-made bombs and a motorcycle from his possession and rushed him to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
Efforts are on to nab another associate of Jaya, who managed to flee the area.
According to police, Jaya has over 20 cases of dacoity, extortion and kidnapping pending against him in different police stations of Ganjam district.
In another incident, another wanted criminal SK Javed Akhtar was injured in an encounter with the police near Irrigation Colony in Jeypore town of Koraput district late on Thursday.
Following information about the movement of Akhtar and his two associates in the Irrigation Colony area, a team of Town Police raided the area.
Seeing the police, Akhtar and his associates opened two rounds of fire at them in a bid to escape. However, police managed to arrest Akhtar while his two associates managed to flee.
Police later seized a country-made revolver, two live cartridges and a mobile phone from his possession.
According to police, Akhtar has several cases, including murder, pending against him at several police stations in Koraput district.
