Bhubaneswar, Aug 19 (IANS) The police on Tuesday apprehended a dreaded criminal after an encounter near Khandual in Dhanupali police limits of Odisha’s Sambalpur district, said officials.

The accused, identified as Md. Samad, a resident of Motijharan in Sambalpur, sustained bullet injuries on his left leg during the encounter with the police team in the early hours.

He was immediately rushed to VIMSAR Medical College and Hospital, Burla, for treatment.

As per police sources, the accused, Samad, along with his brother, Md. Wasim brutally attacked Asfaq Khan of Motijharan with sharp weapons at around 10 p.m. on Monday. Khan later succumbed to injuries caused by the stabbing assault by the accused siblings.

Subsequently, Samad and Wasim escaped the crime scene to avoid arrest.

Based on the complaint lodged by the deceased’s brother, Sambalpur police registered a case (280/25) and launched an investigation.

A special police team was formed to apprehend the absconding accused siblings.

Acting on intelligence input, the team traced Md. Samad near Khandual in the early hours of Tuesday.

“On being challenged, the accused opened two rounds of fire, aiming at the police party in order to kill the police team. Looking at their rebellious attitude and finding no other way in order to save the lives of the police personnel, the team opened fire and restricted it to one round, due to which the accused, Md. Samad sustained injuries on his left leg below the knee,” informed the police.

Police seized one 7.6 mm pistol, live ammunition, three empty fire cartridges, a black Apache motorcycle, and a mobile phone from the encounter spot.

Brother of Samad and another accused in the case, Wasim, remains at large, and the officials said he will also be arrested soon.

Police sources also revealed that both the accused, Samad and his brother, are involved in several cases of criminal activity in the state.

–IANS

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