Patna: A police encounter in Khagaria district on Tuesday night left a youth injured after he was shot in the leg during an exchange of fire with police.The injured, identified as Akhilesh Kumar (20), was admitted to the Khagaria Sadar Hospital.The incident began when three motorcycle-borne youths allegedly assaulted a sub-inspector, snatched his govt-issued pistol and mobile phone, and fled during a routine vehicle-checking drive on Sakrohar-Kurban Road under Beldaur police station area.Following the incident, Khagaria SP Bhanu Pratap Singh constituted a joint team comprising officers from the DSP office, District Intelligence Unit (DIU) and Beldaur police to launch a massive search operation.During the operation, police arrested Akhilesh Kumar. According to the SP, while the police team was returning with the accused, he allegedly attempted to escape from custody near Ranki Basa on Sakrohar-Kurban Road and attacked the escort team. The SP said police warned him to surrender, but when he allegedly opened fire, they retaliated in self-defence, injuring him in the leg. Police recovered the pistol from Akhilesh’s possession.Akhilesh was taken to the Sadar Hospital for treatment. Police also recovered two empty cartridges from the spot.The SP said police acted swiftly after the govt-issued weapon was snatched from the sub-inspector during the vehicle-checking drive. He said a search operation is on to arrest Akhilesh’s two accomplices.