Bhubaneswar, Nov 23: In a major breakthrough, police today arrested three dreaded criminals following an encounter in the Lathikata area.

The operation also led to the recovery of three pistols and a motorcycle, which were seized from the accused.

According to reports, a police team, following inputs about presence of some accused persons in the Lathikata area, carried out a operation.

Meanwhile, the criminals attempted to escape after giving police the slip.

During the chase, an encounter ensued, leaving three hardened criminals injured. They were later admitted to Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH) for treatment.

Police sources confirmed that the arrested individuals and those injured in the encounter were involved in multiple theft and dacoity cases registered across different police stations.

The crackdown is being seen as a significant step in curbing rising incidents of robbery in the region.

Authorities have stated that further investigation is underway to trace other members of the gang and recover additional weapons.