Prime accused in transgender person murder case injured in Odisha police encounter

The prime accused in the murder of a transgender person near Bhubaneswar earlier this month was injured in a police encounter in Odisha's Puri district, an officer said on Thursday. The transgender person was found lying in a pool of blood near Uttara Chowk along the Bhubaneswar-Puri highway on the night of February 1 and was later declared dead at Capital Hospital, police said. Puri SP Prateek Singh said a special team had been formed to probe the case, and one Krushna Kandi (25) of Konark was identified as the prime accused. ''On Wednesday evening, the inspector-in-charge of Pipili police station received information that Kandi was seen loitering near Tarakaju in Pipili. When police approached him, he opened fire at the personnel. Police retaliated in self-defence, and Kandi sustained injuries,'' Singh said. Kandi was first admitted to a Pipili hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical and Hospital in Cuttack, the SP informed. Pipili Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sachin Patel said three persons, including Kandi, had gone to the spot on a motorcycle allegedly to snatch cash and valuables from the victim. ''When the transgender person resisted their attempt to snatch the bag, the accused attacked the victim with a sharp weapon,'' Patel said. While Krushna Kandi and another accused, Sanil Kandi, have been arrested, efforts are on to nab the third accused, he said. Police have seized a motorcycle, a firearm with live ammunition and two empty cartridges from the encounter site, the SDPO said. He added that 13 cases are pending against Krushna Kandi and one against Sanil Kandi at different police stations.