In a major breakthrough following a tense three-day manhunt, the Odisha Commissionerate Police on Saturday apprehended the serial offender involved in the gunpoint sexual assault of a 26-year-old software engineer in the city’s Nayapalli area.
The suspect was captured after being shot in the leg during a police encounter in the forested terrain under the Chandaka police station’s jurisdiction.
The accused has been identified as 24-year-old Santosh alias Sreedhar Panda, son of Pradeep Panda, originally hailing from the Jagannath Prasad area in Ganjam district and currently residing in Chakeisiani village within Mancheswar police limits.
The Encounter and Arrest
Acting on technical intelligence and scanning more than 300 CCTV cameras across the city, a joint team from the Bhubaneswar Special Squad and Nayapalli Police Station zeroed in on Panda’s hideout near Chandaka.
As officers moved in to apprehend him, the accused turned aggressive and attempted to evade arrest. Police reported that Panda pulled out a sharp screwdriver and tried to stab the Sub-Inspector of Nayapalli Police Station, while also attempting to fire using the same weapon used during the crime. In self-defence, police opened fire, shooting two rounds that struck Panda in his right leg, successfully immobilising him.
Panda was immediately rushed to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar for medical treatment, where his condition is reported to be stable. Following his admission, security was tightened across the hospital premises, transforming the area into a fortress under heavy police deployment.
Criminal Antecedents
Police records reveal that Panda is a habitual offender with a history of property and theft crimes in the capital city. He was previously arrested and jailed in connection with multiple cases, including:
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Khandagiri PS Case No. 198/2023: Charged under Sections 379 (theft), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC.
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Tamando PS Case No. 157 (dated 19.06.2023): Charged under Sections 457 (lurking house-trespass or house-breaking by night) and 380 (theft in dwelling house) of the IPC.
The Horrific Nayapalli Incident
The incident occurred on Wednesday night inside a rented flat in Nayapalli, triggering widespread shock and outrage across the city.
The victim, a 26-year-old software engineer employed at a private firm, was alone in her accommodation as her elder sister was away. A masked intruder knocked on the door, forced his way inside at gunpoint, and sexually assaulted her before escaping.
Because the assailant wore a mask, the victim was initially unable to identify him. To track down the culprit, police formed four special teams. A detailed reconstruction of technical data and CCTV footage revealed that after committing the crime, Panda fled the locality using a combination of a bus, an auto-rickshaw, and a stolen motorcycle.
SCW Takes Cognisance
The breach of security inside a residential locality sparked serious concerns over women’s safety in the state capital. The Odisha State Commission for Women (SCW) took suo motu cognisance of the incident and directed the Bhubaneswar DCP to submit a detailed report within 15 days. SCW members also visited Nayapalli Police Station to inspect the investigation’s progress and assured the victim of swift justice.
Senior officers confirmed that once doctors declare Panda medically fit, formal interrogation will proceed to recover the weapon, reconstruct the exact sequence of events, and collect crucial forensic evidence. Police leadership is expected to brief the media with full investigation details shortly.
