Nayapalli Rape Accused Shot in Police Encounter at Chandaka Forest, Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar: The accused in the sensational Nayapalli rape case was injured in a police encounter during a search operation in the Chandaka forest area on Friday, bringing an end to an intensive manhunt launched by the Commissionerate Police.
According to police, the accused, identified as Shridhar Panda alias Santosh from Ganjam district, had been on the run since the alleged crime.
Police officials said investigators tracked the accused using extensive CCTV surveillance footage collected from across the city.
After reviewing hundreds of CCTV cameras, officers managed to establish his movement pattern and received specific intelligence about his presence in the Andharua area near Chandaka.
Acting on the information, a police team launched an operation to apprehend him. During the raid, the accused allegedly attempted to attack police personnel with a screwdriver and tried to escape.
In response, police opened fire, injuring him in the leg.
The injured accused was immediately shifted to Capital Hospital for treatment. A scientific team later visited the encounter site and collected evidence.
Police also seized a screwdriver and a motorcycle from the location.
The incident follows the alleged rape of a young woman in Nayapalli.
Police said the accused had reportedly entered the victim’s rented accommodation, threatened her with a firearm, and sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene.
The case had triggered widespread public outrage and intensified pressure on law enforcement agencies to trace and arrest the accused.
Officials stated that the accused is also suspected to have links to multiple theft cases registered in different police stations across Bhubaneswar.
Police have initiated further investigation into the case, and additional legal proceedings are underway.
