Snatcher held after encounter

BHUBANESWAR: A notorious snatcher was arrested by the police after an early morning encounter in the City on Friday. Abinash Lenka allegedly fired at the police in his bid to escape when the police returned fire. Lenka, in his mid 20s, received a bullet in his right leg. He has been hospitalised. Police recovered a pistol, two rounds of ammunition from his possession. The incident occurred at around 3 am, a spokesperson of the Commissionerate Police said. According to reports, a gang of four bikers, including Lenka, was in the City for an early morning robbery. Police said their motive was to leave the town before the streets got crowded posing difficulty for escape. Acting on a tip off, a team of police officers was waiting for the gang near Gangua bridge. When the four were intercepted, three of them managed to escape. Police said Lenka tried to flee towards Badagarh where he was surrounded by the police. He apparently opened fire at the police which fired in return. During a search, police found the firearm, ammunition, some cash and ATM as well as credit cards from his possession.Police said, Lenka is a resident of Laxmi Sagar area and had been booked in at least 32 cases of snatching and burglaries in the City. He and his gang could be behind a number of burglaries in the City, police added.In fact, the four ATM and two credit cards seized from his possession were robbed recently from under Capital Polic Station area, police said. Bracelet Snatched: Even as the police arrested Abinash Lenka, another snatching occurred near BDA Nicco Park area in the morning. Two bike-borne miscreants snatched the bracelet of a person and fled. In fact, the two robbers were given a hot chase by the complainant and they had to leave their bike in Laxmi Sagar area and flee. The incident occurred during the morning hours. After snatching the bracelet, the duo fled towards Laxmi Sagar when they were trailed. However, ongoing road construction work posed a problem for the two robbers. They left their bike in a street and ran away. After police was informed, the bike was seized. It did not bear any registration number. Police are trying to ascertain who the bike belonged to.