Bhubaneswar, April 4 || Two dreaded criminals were arrested following an encounter with the police on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
The accused, identified as Manish Yadav and Sonu Yadav of Katihar district in Bihar, were arrested late Thursday night.
Police said the accused persons reportedly belong to a dreaded gang of chain snatchers active in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.
After reviewing the CCTV footage, the police identified the accused and initiated efforts to nab them.
Acting on a tip-off about the duo moving on the Cuttack-Puri Bypass road, police rushed to the spot. The cops came across the duo at Sai Temple Square near Tankapani.
While trying to run away, the duo's bike crashed into a concrete wall near the Bankuala area of the city. The criminals later opened fire at the Police, who also fired in retaliation.
The injured looters were first rushed to the Capital Hospital and later to SCB Medical College in Cuttack for treatment.
"The accused used to reach their target destinations by train, commit crimes in the targeted city and return to Bihar," the sources added.
The accused are reportedly involved in six looting incidents in Bhubaneshwar and the Puri area last month.
A case has been registered at the Badagada Police Station in this regard.