Wanted Criminal Killed In Police Encounter In Ganjam

Berhampur: A wanted criminals was killed in an encounter with the police in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Tuesday afternoon.

He was identified as Babu Nayak.

According to police, Nayak was arrested on October 9 after he was injured in an explosion while carrying a bomb in his motorcycle at Bhanjanagar of the district.

However, he managed to escape on November 25 while undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.

Following the incident, Ganjam SP Brijesh Rai had suspended four constables and a havildar for dereliction of their duty.

The police, who were on the hunt for Nayak, got information about his presence in Karadabani forest at Jagannathprasad and raided the area.

Seeing the police, Nayak opened fire on the police. He was critically injured in the retaliatory firing by the police. He was then rushed to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where the doctors pronounced him brought dead.

Talking to mediapersons, Additional SP, Berhampur, Shantanu Das said the police had arrested Nayak in 2017. But he had managed to escape later from the Bhanjanagar sub-jail. He was again arrested in October this year. But he managed to escape from the MKCG Hospital while undergoing treatment.

The deceased had more than 20 cases of dacoity, extortion and murder pending against him at several police stations in Ganjam district, the ASP added.

Prior to this encounter, the Ganjam police had encountered another wanted criminal Anant Kumar Machhua alias Mani, a native of Ranpur area in Nayagarh district, near Gudidhepa village under Khallikote police limits in the early morning hours.