Bhubaneswar/Berhampur: An accused in the assault of a man and his woman friend in Odisha’s Berhampur has been arrested after being injured in an exchange of fire with the police, officials said Thursday.
With the arrest of Mufates Sahu alias Mukesh Wednesday night, the number of people nabbed in connection with the May 18 assault incident has risen to three.
He was one of the accused who was purportedly seen in the viral video mercilessly beating up Umesh Rath (23) and his female friend in the middle of Giri Road in Berhampur town.
According to police, Sahu was intercepted by the police in the forested area of Tamana Ghat in Behrampur late Wednesday night based on specific inputs.
“Mukesh has sustained bullet injuries in an exchange of fire with the police late Wednesday night. The police opened fire after Mukesh snatched a revolver from an assistant sub-inspector and attempted to open fire.
“Police retaliated, in which the accused was injured in the legs and hand,” said Niti Sekhar, the IGP of Southern Ranga, adding that the accused has been admitted to a hospital.
Police said Sahu has multiple criminal cases registered against him.
Hours before the encounter, the Berhampur Town police arrested Raj Malhotra (21) and Lingaraj Samal (24) for their alleged involvement in the incident.
The arrests were made based on a complaint filed by Umesh’s mother, alleging that her son and his female friend were attacked by five persons over a previous enmity.
Rath and his female friend were beaten with sticks by a group of people in Odisha’s Berhampur city, triggering outrage and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Naveen Patnaik alleging that ‘goonda raj’ was prevailing in the state under the BJP government.
A video of the incident went viral on social media, showing some people assaulting the two persons in the middle of the road with sticks, with no one daring to come to their rescue.
The incident took place Monday night when the two were travelling on a motorcycle, police said, adding that they were intercepted by a group of people in the Bijipur area, and the man was dragged onto the road and assaulted with sticks.
The woman, who tried to shield him, also sustained injuries during the attack, they said. Both were admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital.