Two cattle smugglers from West Bengal injured in encounter with Sambalpur Police
In a dramatic turn of events, two cattle smugglers sustained bullet injuries on their legs during an exchange of fire with Sambalpur police near the City Station on Tuesday.
According to sources, the two smugglers hail from Howrah area in neighbouring West Bengal.
The incident occurred when law enforcement officials attempted to intercept the smugglers, leading to an armed confrontation, sources added.
During the encounter, two criminals sustained gunshot injuries. While one of them was hit in the left leg below the knee, the other was struck in the right leg below the knee. The injured individuals were immediately admitted to Burla hospital.
According to reports, the criminals fired three rounds at the police, to which the police retaliated with five rounds.
Following the shootout, the police have recovered four rounds of bullets and two pistols from the suspects. It was also discovered that the smugglers were escorting a cattle-laden truck in a car.
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The police had been tracking the illegal cattle transportation network and acted upon receiving intelligence about suspicious activity in the area. Further investigation is underway to uncover more details regarding the smuggling operation and any possible links to a larger network.
Till the filing of the report, no comments from the police could be obtained.