Keonjhar, July 18: A sub-inspector of police sustained severe injuries after being fired at by a group of armed people in Jhumpura police station area in this district late last night.

Six youths, who came in three motorcycles, shot at the police officer to rescue one of their accomplices who had been overpowered by the cops. They later fled the spot. The injured police officer has been admitted to a hospital, said sources in the police.

According to the police, the incident took place around 2am on Sunday. A team, led by sub-inspector of Jhumpura police, was carrying out night patrolling when they found six persons trying to loot a truck near Katalapasi on National Highway 215.

When the police chased them and managed to grab one of their accomplices, the anti-socials opened fire. A bullet hit sub-inspector Deba Prasad Mohanty. He was rushed to hospital where his condition was stated to be stable.

“While we were on our way back from night patrolling, we saw six motorcycle-borne armed youths were trying to loot a truck near Katalapasi on the National Highway 215 around 2.00am last night. We soon challenged them and overpowered one of the criminals. On finding one of their accomplices in our grab, they started firing at us. Fortunately, I escaped unhurt, but sub-inspector Mohanty sustained bullet injuries in his right arm. Taking this chance, all the gangsters fled from our clutches, leaving behind one of their motorcycles on the spot,” said Rabindra Kumar Jena, a constable who was a part of the night patrolling team.

The profusely bleeding sub-inspector was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Later, he was shifted to a private hospital in Cuttack as his condition deteriorated, said the police.

Keonjhar superintendent of police Asish Kumar Singh said: “The injured officer is now out of danger. We have launched a massive manhunt to nab all the culprits who have managed to flee.”