Jharsuguda: Early on Monday, a well-known criminal involved in organized crime and the illegal arms trade was shot and arrested following a shootout with police in a forested region of Jharsuguda district, Odisha.
Banti Prasad, known as Bunty or Banty in police documentation, resides in Hanuman Nagar under the jurisdiction of the Orient police. He suffered a bullet wound to his left leg during the altercation near the Amdarah forest.
A special team from the Orient police station acted on specific intelligence regarding Prasad’s whereabouts and set up a perimeter around the forest area, which is situated within the overlapping jurisdictions of Brajrajnagar and Orient police stations. As the officers approached during their search, Prasad reportedly fired at them in an attempt to escape. The police returned fire in self-defense, hitting him in the leg and successfully concluding the exchange without any injuries to law enforcement personnel. An illegal firearm was also confiscated at the site.
Following his injury, Prasad was initially transported to a local community health center before being transferred to the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital for further medical care. His condition is reported to be stable.
Prasad is wanted in approximately 17 criminal cases registered across the jurisdictions of Jharsuguda, Brajrajnagar, and Orient police stations. His charges include attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, organized crime, and multiple violations of the Arms Act pertaining to illegal firearms. Earlier this year, in April 2026, he was arrested as a significant supplier in an illegal arms network operating in the Brajrajnagar area. During that incident, police seized five country-made pistols and ammunition, which he allegedly acquired from districts in Bihar for distribution to local criminals. He had been released on bail in that case by the Orissa High Court.
Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Gundala Reddy Raghavendra highlighted that the district police uphold a strict zero-tolerance policy toward organized crime and illegal arms trafficking, especially in mining and industrial areas where such networks continue to pose significant challenges. He noted that Prasad had fired directly at the police team and attempted to flee, leaving them with no choice but to respond. The Superintendent indicated that law enforcement is closely monitoring Prasad’s associates and suspected arms suppliers to identify any broader criminal networks.
