Cuttack: Police on Saturday arrested a gangster following an encounter near Sikharpur Kaliaboda here.

Tapan Nayak, 28, who was injured in the encounter with the cops, was involved in several criminal cases. The Jobra resident opened fire at the police while trying to resist arrest. The cops also recovered a pistol from him.

Cuttack deputy commissioner of police Akhileswar Singh said: "Nayak is a veteran criminal who was involved in a series of cases that breached peace in Cuttack."

Nayak had gained notoriety for bombings, trafficking, murder attempts and other crimes at Malgodown.

The police said Nayak had been wanted in connection with a recent bombing in the area and cases of criminal intimidation, assault and wrongful restraint.

The police said that acting on a tip-off about Nayak's presence near the Biswaguru Law College on the Mahanadi banks around 12.30am, Malgodown police station inspector-in-charge Debi Prasad Patra led a team to apprehend him.

But when the cops approached him, he fired at them in a bid to escape, the police said. "When Nayak again tried to fire at the police, the cops opened fire in self-defence and he suffered an injury on his left thigh," Singh said.

"He was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital."

Nayak was involved in 12 criminal cases. While 11 were registered at Malgodown police station, the others were lodged at Jagatpur police station. The cases include offences under the Protection of Children and Sexual Offences Act, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Substances Act.