Jharsuguda: Two persons were detained following an encounter with the police in the early hours of Tuesday in connection with a road rage incident wherein a 22-year-old was murdered in Belpahar area of the district on Monday afternoon.Sunil Mahanada alias Tabu (22) and Chand Banchhor (25), both residents of Goudpali under Burla police station limits in Sambalpur district, were injured in the encounter after they allegedly opened fire on police while attempting to flee near Shaguan forest.Police said both accused sustained bullet injuries in their legs during retaliatory firing and were later shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Jharsuguda for treatment.“Based on technical inputs, multiple police teams tracked the two prime accused near Shaguan forest, close to a govt school in Karlakhaman. When police reached the spot, the accused allegedly opened fire while trying to escape, forcing the police team to retaliate in self-defence with controlled firing,” the SP said.Police also arrested three others — Pradeep Barik (31), Pushpa Banchhor (38), both residents of Goudpali — and Chudamani Kalet (46) of Jharapada. They were arrested on Monday evening.The arrests were made in connection with the murder of Rahul Mahato in a road rage incident near Belpahar on Monday afternoon. According to the police, a collision between a car and a motorcycle triggered a heated argument that escalated into violence. The accused allegedly attacked Rahul with a machete, leaving him critically injured. He succumbed to his injuries at Lakhanpur hospital. Another youth, Akash Sahu (23), who was also injured in the attack, is undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital.Jharsuguda SP G R Raghavendra said CCTV footage and technical surveillance helped police identify the vehicle involved and trace the accused.
