Sambalpur, Oct. 5: Police are investigating an encounter in which a criminal was killed at Dengsargi under the Ainthapali police station limits on October 2.

The goon who died was Rajesh, alias Raju Saha, 30, of Golebazar. Sub-inspector Dhabaleswar Sahu had also suffered a bullet injury.

The police had found two pistols, bullets and empty cartridges on Saha.

Additional superintendent of police S.K. Panigrahi said: “The investigation into the encounter has already started. A case has been registered at Ainthapali police station. Deputy superintendent of police, district crime records Bureau, S. Tigga has been assigned with the responsibility to investigate into the matter.”

The police have also arrested three persons in connection with the encounter.

“They have been identified as Sanjeev Khandelwal, Amaresh Swain and Aneesh Gupta,” said inspector in charge of Ainthapli police station, Amitav Panda.

They were with Raju Saha when the incident took place, said police.

Several criminal cases were pending against Saha both in Sambalpur and the neighbouring Jharsuguda district and the police was in the lookout for Saha, who was residing at Ainthapali.

The first attempt of the police team to nab Saha turned futile on October 1.

However, acting on a tip off, a team of police personnel in plain clothes swooped down in Dengsargi around 12 noon the next day.

Saha opened fire after seeing the police team in the village and sub-inspector Sahu was hit on his left leg. When the police retaliated, Saha was hit. He died on the way to SCB hospital.