Police apprehended notorious criminal Dhaneswar Jhankar, also known as Tima, aged 42, five days after an encounter in the Dungachhali forest within the Rairakhol police jurisdiction. He suffered a bullet wound to his leg during the shootout on March 18.
Authorities reported that Tima was rescued in a wounded state and received treatment at Rairakhol hospital before being transferred to Burla Medical College. On Monday, Rairakhol police officially arrested him and presented him in court.
Tima Jhankar has an extensive criminal history, with over 41 cases registered against him in Sambalpur, Balangir, Jharsuguda, and Mayurbhanj districts. His offenses include dacoity, extortion, armed robbery, and the theft of aluminum conductor wires. Police disclosed that his primary targets were microfinance employees, whom he threatened with firearms to loot.
During the encounter on March 18, police also detained three of his accomplices: Satyajit Pradhan from Baribandh, Prashant Mirdha from Mirgamunda, and Dillip Ray from Krishnanagar. Officers confiscated a pistol with live ammunition, a Bolero vehicle, wire cutters, and other burglary tools.
According to police, Tima and his gang opened fire when confronted, prompting officers to respond with controlled gunfire, injuring Tima and capturing his associates. Investigators confirmed that Tima had previously escaped from police custody in Mayurbhanj four years ago and had continued his criminal activities across various districts. Officials hailed the arrest as a significant achievement in the fight against organized crime in western Odisha.