Balasore, February 14(Odisha.in) In a major breakthrough to a patrol pump dacoity, Balasore police claimed to have arrested a gang of hardcore criminals comprising eight dacoits and seized two country-made guns from them .
Police also have seized a four-wheeler used in the crime, two live bullets, a knife, three bhujalis, iron rods, eight mobiles and cycle chains from their possessions. But the looted money was yet to be recovered.
The arrestees identified as Sambhu Das (28) of Phuladi, Ranjit Das (29) of Balasore town, Pankaj Parida (22) of Remuna, Pravat Ranjan Parida (25) and Rajanikanta Samal (25) of Basta, Ajay Patra (35) of Godhibasa, Satya Narayan Mohapatra (25) of Parimul and Tapan Das (40) of Simulia, have been produced in the court.
They all were remanded to judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected.
According to circle inspector of police Akshay Mishra, except Ajay all the seven dacoits had looted about Rs 51,500 from a patrol pump along NH-60 near Odangi village under Sadar police station area in Balasore district, nine days back.
“All they were nabbed by a team of police officials while they again were preparing to loot another patrol pump near Salabani here on Tuesday night. They all have confessed their crimes,” Mishra informed.
Police sources said, all these criminals are involved in various crimes including dacoity, robbery, extortion, attempt-to-murder and two of them were released from jail just five months back.
“While three persons already have been convicted in dacoity cases, three others are associates of drug mafia Azad who is now lodged in jail. In the absence of Azad they were managing the drugs business in the region. Some of them are also involved in murder cases,” said SP Yashwant Kumar Jethwa.
“Altogether 16 cases are pending against Sambhu while Satya and Rajanikant were wanted in six and two cases respectively. The gang was operating in and around the district,” the SP informed.
These criminals had been terrorizing people here and police were on trail to nab the gang members since months. Efforts are on to nab other members of the gang, police sources added.
Odisha.in