Bhubaneswar, May 21: The prime accused in the sensational assault on a couple at Giri Road in Berhampur was injured during a police encounter conducted by Berhampur Town Police on Tamana Road late Wednesday night.
According to police sources, the accused, identified as Sahu, sustained bullet injuries to both knees and one hand during the operation. He was immediately shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Hospital sources said his condition is currently stable.
Police said the encounter was part of an intensified crackdown launched after the brutal attack on a young man and his female friend triggered widespread outrage across Berhampur. Authorities had earlier arrested two other accused in connection with the case — Raj Malhotra and Lingaraj Samal.
During the investigation, police recovered two scooters, a stick suspected to have been used in the assault, and a mobile phone from the accused persons.
The incident had occurred on the night of May 18 at Giri Road when victim Umesh Rath was travelling on a scooter with his female companion. A group of assailants allegedly intercepted them, dragged Rath onto the road and brutally assaulted him with sticks in full public view.
Rath sustained critical injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Visakhapatnam. Videos of the assault had gone viral on social media, raising serious concerns over law and order in the city.
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