Bhanjanagar: Arrest of two hardcore criminals by Ganjam police following an encounter has opened a can of worms as the accused allegedly struck a deal of Rs 8 lakh with an agent to eliminate a jail inmate.
The accused, Babul Paswan and Jeetendra Nayak, of outlawed People’s Liberations Front of India (PLFI) were arrested after police shot at them in an encounter and left them critically injured.
Paswan, a hardcore criminal, has 50 cases registered in his name in various police stations in Jhakhand and in Rourkela, Sundargarh and Ganjam police districts.
Paswan had taken Rs 4 lakh as advance to implement the contract with a promise for payment of the rest amount later.
However, they were left frustrated after police got tipped off about their plan. The third person was absconding after the incident as separate police teams headed by SDPO Utkal Keshari Das raided various places to arrest him Friday. Two cases were registered in this connection.
The plan to eliminate a jail inmate unnerved the district police as it produced some of the jail inmates in court under tight security Friday.
It was suspected that some political leaders are behind the murder plan of the jail inmates.
Sources said Paswan after his exit from PLFI continued his criminal activities. For unknown reasons, an unidentified person from Ganjam had hired two contract killers to kill an undertrial while he was being produced in Bhanjanagar court Friday.
He reached Bhanjanagar along with Nayak and the third accomplice Thursday night and stayed in a lodge. Police verified various lodges and hotels after being alerted about their arrival but in vain as they had already left the place.
They were on their way to Bhanjanagar from Belguntha in a car but left for Aska after coming to know that police had blocked the routes on their way. They however, returned midway after noticing that police have veered the vehicle towards Phulbani road.
Police intercepted their car at Nidhiapalli Square near Bhanjanagar College when Paswan got down and fired at the policemen. Police retaliated and overpowered Paswan and Nayak while the third accomplice escaped. PNN
