(MENAFN- IANS) Patna, July 14 (IANS) Incidents of crime continue unabated in Bihar, with the latest reported from the Ranitalab police station area under Paliganj subdivision of Patna district, where an encounter took place between the police and criminals.

The exchange of fire occurred in a garden near Kab village under Ranitalab police station limits when police went to arrest robbers accused of looting a paan shopkeeper, Sunny Kumar, last month in Saidabad village.

As the police team approached, the criminals opened fire at them, prompting the police to retaliate.

During the encounter, one of the accused, Suraj Kumar, a resident of Pairpura village under Paliganj police station, sustained a bullet injury on his leg.

He is currently undergoing treatment in Patna. Another accused, Alok Kumar, was apprehended while attempting to flee the scene.

Ranitalab police recovered a country-made firearm and other items from the accused.

Patna West City SP Bhanu Pratap Singh informed that, acting on intelligence inputs about the suspects' presence in Kab village, a special team was formed under his leadership.

When the team reached the spot, the criminals began firing, leading to a brief exchange of fire in which Suraj Kumar was injured and Alok Kumar was captured.

“The police were searching for these criminals in connection with the robbery of a paan shopkeeper last month. Acting on information, we reached the spot, but the criminals opened fire on the team. In retaliatory action, one was injured while the other was arrested,” Singh said.

Both accused are currently being interrogated, and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other members of their gang.

This incident comes amid a spate of crimes across Bihar, raising concerns over the law-and-order situation, even as the police continue their crackdown on criminal elements in the state.

Patna, in particular, witnessed a surge of criminal incidents like murders of high-profile persons in the last 10 days.

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