Bhubaneswar: Adding to the growing list of non-fatal encounters across the state, a 23-year-old history-sheeter, allegedly involved in 23 robbery cases, sustained a bullet injury to his right leg in a retaliatory firing by Puri police late on Saturday night.Chandan, alias Bishnu Prasad Jena, was first admitted to Puri district headquarters hospital before being shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.“His condition is stable. He will be arrested once he recovers. He is a notorious criminal involved in 23 robbery cases, including 22 across Bhubaneswar. He first opened fire at our personnel, who then resorted to controlled retaliatory firing,” said Puri superintendent of police (SP) Prateek Singh.According to Singh, Baselisahi police received credible information that a group of men with criminal antecedents were present near Shree Setu Road, and were allegedly planning a robbery.During a raid, some suspicious men were spotted near Omkareshwar temple. “On seeing the police team, they tried to flee. In the process, Chandan’s motorcycle skidded and he fell,” SP Singh said.After falling, the accused allegedly opened fire at the police, who then resorted to “controlled retaliatory firing”.Police sources said the action is intended to instil fear among criminals ahead of the prestigious BRICS technical meeting of the ‘disaster risk reduction working group,’ scheduled to be held in the beach city from June 3 to 5. The operation is also viewed as part of a broader crackdown on notorious offenders in the run-up to the Rath Yatra on July 16.This is the 10th non-fatal encounter in Odisha in May and the 13th this year, in the wake of heightened public outrage over the recent Balianta lynching and Berhampur street violence.
