Three held over murder of Odisha police officer

Three people were arrested Tuesday in Odisha in connection with the Feb 22 murder of a police officer in Keonjhar district of the state.

Those arrested are Kamalakant Matian, Bibhuti Naik and Santosh Lohar, Deputy Inspector General of Police R.K. Sharma told IANS.

Police have also recovered a motorcycle, two pistols and ammunition they had used to execute the crime.

Sharma said all three have criminal backgrounds, as they had committed burglaries and dacoities in Keonjhar and neighbouring Mayurbhanj districts.

Inspector-in-charge of Ghatgaon police station Dilip Sahu was killed when he along with others was chasing the three near Saharpada village, about 150 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar on the night of Feb 22.

The dacoits opened fire and hurled country-made bombs at the police vehicle.

Although Sahu managed to come out of the vehicle and fired, he sustained grievous injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors pronounced him dead.