Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police nabbed a dreaded criminal, who was wanted in a number of criminal cases in several districts of Odisha, following an encounter in Bhubaneswar in the wee hours of Sunday.
The criminal identified as Jitendra Palei was nabbed following a high-drama chase by the police near the Bankual Kuakhai river embankment.
According to Bhubaneswar DCP, Prateek Singh, Palei was wanted in a bombing and attempt to murder case registered at Kharvelanagar. Palei had hurled bombs at a jewellery shop owner in Unit IX in the city some days back with the intention of robbing him. This aside, more than 30 criminal cases, including murder and extortion, are registered against Palei at various police stations across the state.
Acting on a tip-off that Palei was coming to Bhubaneswar, a police team led by the IIC of Kharvelanagar police station and other officers intercepted the criminal near Tankapani Road. However, the Palei somehow managed to escape through a muddy road.
Later, the police team chased Palei and intercepted him near the Bankual Kuakhai river embankment. Seeing the police approaching him, Palei started firing at the police team. Police also opened counter-fire and in the process, the criminal sustained a bullet injury on his leg. He was initially admitted to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and taken into custody after first-aid treatment.
“Our team was on the look for Palei and we tracked him down. During the chase, the criminal sustained a bullet injury in controlled firing by police which was done in self-defence,” said DCP Prateek Singh.
