Bhubaneswar: In the early hours of Monday, a notorious apartment burglar, identified as Arjun Anare, was apprehended following a police encounter near the Balianta Canal embankment on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
Anare sustained a bullet injury to his left knee during the exchange of gunfire and is currently receiving treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Four of his associates managed to evade capture.
The anti-dacoity enforcement team of Bhubaneswar Police was conducting a routine patrol near Balianta and the Dhauli Hills when they spotted a bike-borne armed gang. Upon attempting to intercept them, the suspects opened fire on the police, prompting retaliatory action. During the confrontation, Anare was injured and subsequently arrested. The other gang members fled the scene.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pinak Mishra stated, “During the pre-dawn operation, our anti-dacoity team tracked down a gang of criminals and began a pursuit. They opened fire, prompting police officers to retaliate in self-defense. One member sustained a bullet wound in his left knee and was immediately shifted to the hospital and is now stable.”
Preliminary investigations suggest that the gang members hail from outside the state, reportedly from Madhya Pradesh. A scientific team is currently collecting evidence from the scene, including bullet casings and other materials used by the gang.
This incident follows a series of apartment burglaries in Bhubaneswar. In December 2023, two members of an inter-state ‘apartment lootera gang’ were arrested for their involvement in a robbery at Nirupama Apartment in Nayapalli, where Rs 13 lakh in cash was stolen.
