Drug Peddler Injured in Shootout with Police in Sambalpur

SAMBALPUR: A drug peddler was injured in an exchange of fire with police in Rengali area of Sambalpur on Sunday morning. The injured was identified as 30-year-old Pritam Biswal of Kendrapara. The shootout reportedly took place at around 6.15 am. According to reports, a police team engaged in night patrolling received information about two cars transporting a large consignment of codeine-based cough syrup through the Jangla forest route in Rengali. Acting on the tip-off, police launched checking on Jangla-Pandoloi road. The first vehicle was intercepted and its driver, Ashutosh Mendali (26) of Dhama area in Sambalpur, was apprehended. However, another occupant of the car managed to flee into the nearby jungle. Police said the second vehicle, which was following the first car at high speed, failed to negotiate the narrow road and crashed into a tree. Its driver, Biswal, allegedly got out of the vehicle and tried to escape. Additional SP Ajay Kumar Mishra said, “Biswal fired four rounds at the police personnel. After warning him to stop, the police team returned three rounds of fire. Biswal sustained a gunshot injury to his right leg and was subsequently shifted to Rengali community health centre for treatment.”