Bhubaneswar: Rape accused shot in leg during police encounter, arrest

In Bhubaneswar, police shot 24-year-old rape accused Santosh Panda in the leg during an encounter. Panda attacked an officer with a screwdriver while resisting arrest. He is a habitual offender and was tracked using over 300 CCTV cameras.

Representative image (File Photo/ANI)

In an encounter near Chandaka, the Police opened fire on a 24-year-old rape accused after he violently attacked a police officer while attempting to evade arrest.

According to the police, the suspect, identified as Santosh alias Sreedhar Panda (24), a resident of Chakeisiani village in Mancheswar and hailing from Ganjam's Jagannath Prasad area, was shot in the right leg during the confrontation. He was subsequently rushed to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar for treatment.

Extensive Investigation Leads to Arrest

The arrest followed an extensive, multi-day investigation by the police to track down the offender. Investigative teams painstakingly analysed footage from over 300 CCTV cameras and scanned massive volumes of technical data before the Special Squad pinpointed Panda's location.

Confrontation During Arrest Attempt

The incident unfolded when a joint team comprising the Special Squad and personnel from the Nayapalli Police Station intercepted Panda near the Chandaka police station jurisdiction.

Attempting to break through the cordon, Panda grew aggressive and lunged at a Sub-Inspector from Nayapalli PS, attempting to stab him with a screwdriver. Faced with an immediate threat to life, police fired two rounds in self-defence, striking Panda in the right leg and overpowering him on the spot.

Accused's Prior Criminal Record

According to the Commissionerate Police, Panda is a habitual offender with a prior history of property and theft crimes in the capital city. He had previously been arrested and jailed in connection with multiple cases.

He was accused in Khandagiri PS Case No. 198/2023: Charged under Sections 379, 411, and 34 of the IPC (Mobile Theft & Stolen Property), as well as Tamando PS Case No. 157 (June 19, 2023): Charged under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC (House-breaking and Larceny).

Further legal proceedings and interrogation will resume once the accused is discharged from medical care.

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