The police on Monday apprehended a dreaded criminal following an exchange of fire in the Amdarah forest under the Orient police station area in Odisha Jharsuguda district, said a senior police official.

The Jharsuguda police also informed the media that the incident took place early Monday morning. The notorious criminal was identified as Bunty Prasad, a resident in the Hanuman Nagar area under the limits of the Orient Police Station of Jharsuguda.

Bunty has reportedly been evading law enforcement and is allegedly wanted in connection with 17 pending serious criminal cases, including attempted murder and Arms Act cases registered at Brajrajnagar and Orient police stations.

According to police, a special team from the Orient police station received reliable intelligence at around 6:00 a.m. indicating that the wanted criminal was hiding out in the dense cover of the Amdarah forest.

“Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the police personnel cordoned off the perimeter and launched a meticulous combing operation. Trapped and realising he was cornered, Bunty Prasad attempted to shoot his way out, opening sudden fire on the advancing police party,” the police official added.

Exercising restraint and acting strictly in self-defence, the police team returned controlled fire. During the exchange, a bullet struck Bunty in his left leg, causing him to fall to the ground. The police overpowered and arrested him immediately at the scene. An illegal firearm was also recovered from his possession, and his motorcycle was seized by the police.

Bunty was first rushed to the Khaliakani Community Health Centre for initial medical attention and was later shifted to the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) for further treatment.

In a separate case, the Brajarajnagar police of Jharsuguda district also arrested another notorious criminal and seized two country-made pistols and some ammunition following a raid on Monday.

Odisha Police have launched a special drive to arrest habitual offenders and criminals to avoid incidents of violence during the ongoing festive season.

The Kota City Police in Rajasthan have made a major breakthrough in the firing incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai by apprehending three suspects, including a minor, at Kota railway station. According to Kota Superintendent of Police (SP) Tejaswani Gautam, preliminary questioning has revealed that the suspects planned to travel to Delhi before fleeing to Nepal.

Acting on intelligence that the suspects were travelling to Kota aboard the Pune-Jaipur Express, a police team surrounded and searched the train. The operation was completed in approximately 15 minutes, following which all three suspects were taken into custody.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Rehan alias Sukka, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana; Hrithik Kurmi alias Roshan, a resident of Begusarai in Bihar; and a minor.

According to the SP, Hrithik had been living in Mumbai for the past few years.

SP Gautam said preliminary questioning indicated that Rehan alias Sukka was in contact with Anil Pandit, who is reportedly linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Police are investigating whether this connection had any role in the firing incident.

The weapon allegedly used in the shooting has not yet been recovered. Investigators will question the suspects further to establish where the weapon was taken after the incident and identify others who may have been involved.

A team from the Mumbai Police has reached Kota, and the process of handing over the suspects to the Mumbai Police is underway.

The incident took place on Sunday at around 7 p.m., when Tiger Shroff was returning by car from a football ground in Mumbai’s Juhu area.

According to the police, the assailants fired at the vehicle with a pistol, injuring the driver. Another person present at the scene was also hit by a bullet.

A Mumbai Police official said Tiger Shroff managed to lean forward when the shots were fired, helping him avoid a direct hit. However, he sustained an injury from a fragment of shattered glass. The investigation is continuing to establish the motive behind the attack, trace the weapon used in the shooting and determine the possible involvement of other individuals.

A powerful explosion in a pickup truck loaded with explosives in Aguncha village of Rajasthan Bhilwara district killed the driver on the spot on Monday.

The blast, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. within the jurisdiction of Gulabpura police station, completely destroyed the vehicle and reduced a nearby enclosure wall to rubble.

The explosion was so intense that the pickup truck’s parts were blown apart, with debris scattered over a wide area. The driver’s body was found beneath the rubble of the collapsed wall.

According to police, the deceased has been identified as 35-year-old Ram Avtar, a resident of Bundi.

The explosion was heard from a considerable distance, triggering panic among residents, many of whom rushed out of their homes to assess the situation.

The impact shattered glass in the doors and windows of nearby houses, while cracks reportedly appeared in some walls.

The enclosure where the pickup was parked was extensively damaged, with its wall collapsing completely. The vehicle’s engine was reportedly thrown around 10 feet away by the force of the blast.

Villagers gathered at the site soon after the explosion and attempted to extinguish the fire. The discovery of the driver’s body beneath the debris added to the gravity of the incident.

Gulabpura Station House Officer Sanjay Gurjar said the explosion occurred inside an enclosure belonging to Ramdev, son of Hiralal Khatik, a local resident. A pickup truck loaded with explosives was parked inside the premises when it suddenly exploded.

After receiving information, police personnel from the Aguncha police outpost and Gulabpura police station reached the spot and secured the area.

A forensic team has been called to examine the site, identify the explosive materials and determine the exact cause of the explosion.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Further details are awaited as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the blast and why these were in the truck.