In a dramatic development, notorious gangster Hyder was critically injured in an encounter when he allegedly tried to flee from a jail van while being taken to a jail in Baripada, on Saturday.
Cuttack DCP Prateel Singh said that Hyder has suffered bullet injury in the encounter and has been shifted to a hospital in Balasore. The updates on his health is still to be received.
Sources said the incident occurred near Simulia when Hyder was being taken to a jail in Baripada from the Chodwar jail.
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DCP Singh said the gangster asked the jail staff accompanying him to stop the vehicle as he wanted to relieve himself. However, as soon as the vehicle stopped, Hyder tried to snatch away the rifle of a guard and made a bid to run away, he said.
“At around 3:20 pm Hyder told the escort team staff that he wanted to urinate. Later, when he tried to snatch firearm of a guard and flee, other staff in the team gave him a warning to desist from his attempt. However, a Sub-inspector in the team had to open fire at him when he refused to pay heed to the warning,” Singh said adding, “the policeman fired in a controlled manner.”
Singh said Hyder has sustained injury from a solitary bullet in his stomach. He is undergoing treatment at present.
Meanwhile, Twin City Police Commissioner, Saumendra Priyadarshi said, “The escort party have admitted Hyder to a hospital in Balasore. Though our team tried to prevent the gangster from escaping, they had to open fire in self-defence.”
Priyadarshi said the gangster was being taken from Choudwar jail to a jail in Baripada following discussions with jail authorities. An escort team from Cuttack was accompanying the gangster during the shifting process. The team included an inspector, a Sub-inspector and a section force.
It is pertinent to mention here that in April this year, Hyder alias SK Hyder had staged a dramatic escape from a dedicated cabin at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where he was reportedly undergoing treatment.
The notorious criminal managed to flee from the hospital after deceiving a jail guard. Hyder was finally intercepted in Sanga Reddy district of Telangana in a joint operation by the Odisha and Telangana police around 120 hours following his escape.
In 2015, the Court of Additional District Judge-2 in Bhubaneswar had pronounced life imprisonment to Hyder and two others in connection with the kidnap and murder of mine owner Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra. Four years prior to that, Hyder and seven others were sentenced to life for killing Sheikh Chuna alias Malik Hanan, brother of gangster Sheikh Suleiman.