Odisha rape suspect hurt in police exchange after shooting at team

Encounter Details

A man accused of raping a 26-year-old woman at gunpoint in Odisha was injured in a police encounter in Chandaka on Saturday. The suspect, Sridhar Panda from Ganjam district, shot two rounds at a police team while trying to run away. Police fired back in self-defence and shot him twice in his left foot. Bhubaneswar deputy commissioner of police Saravana Dr Vivek M Saravana said Panda was taken to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar for treatment and will be arrested after he gets well.

The Crime

The case began when the victim filed a report on Thursday at the Nayapalli police station. She stated that an unknown masked man entered her rented house in Behera Sahi on Wednesday evening while she was alone. The attacker threatened her with a gun, tied her up with her scarf, and broke her mobile phone. Police later found the weapon was actually a lighter shaped like a gun. Investigators said Panda previously had two mobile theft cases and had checked the house to steal a phone before his motive changed. He held the weapon to her head, threatened to shoot her if she shouted, and escaped after the assault.

Investigation and Probe

Security cameras showed the suspect walking toward CRP Square and taking an Ama Bus, after which he allegedly stole a motorcycle to flee. A scientific team visited the crime scene to collect evidence. Meanwhile, the Odisha State Commission for Women took note of the case on Friday and asked the Bhubaneswar DCP to send a report within 15 days.

Context

Police forces often track suspects through camera footage and local intelligence networks during major investigations. Such encounters typically happen when cornered suspects try to escape custody or attack law enforcement personnel.