For years, Odisha Police has been hailed for their meticulous operation to nab the criminals and gangsters without taking their lives. They always targeted their lower limb to catch them alive in all encounters.

However, the recent encounters in Telangana and Uttar Pradesh have probably changed their thought process. Elimination of Gangster Sheikh Hyder in an encounter near Simulia, Balasore yesterday where he was shot at the stomach, can be seen as a new precedent.

Cops get full support from the public in such cases. It would be interesting to see if this new ‘Encounter Model’ becomes a new normal.