Bhubaneswar: Two criminals, including a contract killer from Maharashtra, were injured in a police encounter near Mangalpur in Pipili police limits of Puri district on Thursday night.

The police said that the duo were involved in a firing at Chandanpur on January 7. The accused - Subash Pradhan of Puri Sadar area and Amar Omkar Solanki of Maharashtra - were also involved in a number of murder cases at Surat in Gujarat.

"Pradhan is involved in various crimes in Surat where he came in contact with Solanki who had escaped from police custody there in 2016. Later, Pradhan hired him as a contract killer," said inspector in charge of Pipili police station Sarat Chandra Sahu.

Pradhan was reportedly the mastermind behind the firing at Chandanpur on January 7 in which they had shot one Gangadhar Bhol over past enmity. "Bhol was also a local goon. Bhol and his associated had assaulted Pradhan's brother in 2010. Thereafter, Pradhan hatched the plan to kill Bhol in revenge," said another officer.

The duo were first stopped during a road blockade on Thursday night. But when one of them opened fire at police, the police retaliated. "Both Pradhan and Solanki suffered injury on their left legs. They have been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack," said the officer.

A pistol and five live ammunition were seized from them. The duo were getting firearms for only Rs 40,000 from an arms supplier in Cuttack. "We are trying to nab the arms supplier," said the officer. "We will bring them under our remand for further investigation. Adequate police personnel have been deployed at the hospital," said another police officer.