A man wanted in at least 11 criminal cases was injured in an exchange of fire with police in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district on Saturday, officials reported. The accused, identified as Jay Chauhan, suffered a bullet injury to his right leg during the encounter in the Rengali police station area and was subsequently admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Jharsuguda.
Chauhan, a resident of Gandhi Chowk in Brajrajnagar, was allegedly leading a gang planning a significant dacoity when police initiated an operation based on intelligence inputs. “However, upon seeing the police, Chauhan opened fire and attempted to escape. The police, in self-defense, retaliated, resulting in his bullet injury,” Jharsuguda SP G R Raghavendra informed reporters.
Following the encounter, four of Chauhan’s associates managed to flee, while he was incapacitated after being shot in the leg. Chauhan faces charges related to attempted murder, dacoity, extortion, and violations of the Arms Act in Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts. This incident marks the second police encounter involving alleged criminals in Jharsuguda this month; on May 12, two individuals wanted in a murder case were injured during a similar exchange of fire with the police.
