Jharsuguda (Orissa): In a daring attack, two assailants killed an under-trial prisoner in the court premises before being shot dead by the police on September 26.

The assailants, who had been waiting near the court of the additional district and Sessions judge, hurled a bomb at Kanta Das as he alighted from a police van injuring him critically.

They also fired one round at him from a pistol and hurled more bombs to cause panic in the area as people ran helter-skelter.

Police escorts, who accompanied about 10 under-trial prisoners including Das, fired at the assailants as they tried to jump over the court boundary walls.

Das, who was lying in a pool of blood, was shifted to the district headquarters hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The two assailants tried to escape and ran for about half a km before taking shelter behind a house in the Orampada area of the town.

Police reinforcements led by the Superintendent of Police Diptesh Patnaik, who rushed to the scene, soon gheraoed (cordoned) the area. After being cornered, they fired at the police. The police then returned the fire killing both of them.

PTI