13 dacoits arrested in big crackdown in Odisha capital

Reported by Santosh Jagdev
Bhubaneswar,  Sep 4:

In a massive crackdown conducted by the Quick Action Team (QAT), Special Squad and personnel from different police stations, Twin City commissionerate police arrested 13 notorious criminals, involved in various cases, in three separate raids in the Odisha capital, police sources said today.

Three accused persons managed to flee from the spot.

During the raid, police seized one country made pistol with magazine, two rounds of live 9mm ammunition,  two bhujalis, one air pistol, one toy pistol, eight gold chains,  eight motor cycles, 13 mobile phones,  40 mobile sim cards and Rs 20, 000 from the possession of the accused.

Briefing newsmen here,  commissioner of police (CP) Dr RP Sharma said in Mancheswar police station Arms Act case, the QAT received a reliable tip off that a gang of dacoits armed with fire arms, bhujali and other weapon are active and operating in Rasulgarh area in the wee hours of Friday.

The team, with assistance from other wings, nabbed the criminals while they had assembled at a remore dark place and were preparing to commit dacoity near Chakeisiani. Four persons, identified as Rashmi Ranjan Barik (39) of Baulakuda in Cuttack, Rajendra Das (29) of Matia in Kendrapara, Lingaraj Dalai (20) of Ambapua in Ganjam district and Raja Kumar Nayak (19) of Rajabazar under Jatani police limits in Khordha district, were arrested from the place while Niri of Haladipadia slum under Laxmisagar police limits managed to escape. The mastermind Lingaraj has several cases in the Capital and Airfield police stations pending against him.

In the above case police have slapped charges under sections 399, 402 of IPC and under section 25 of Arms Act against the accused.

In the second incident, the police commissioner said while the complainant was standing on the Jayadev Vihar over bridge attending to a mobile call yesterday at about 7 pm, eight hardcore criminals accosted him and threatened him with a pistol and looted Rs 20, 000 and his Pulsar 220 motor cycle from him.

On getting this report, the inspector-in-charge of Nayapalli police station SM Pradhan set a trap on the Jayadev Vihar over bridge and apprehended the accused persons identified as Snehasis Dash alias Chintu of Jagatsinghpur district, the gang leader and an engineering student, Asutosh Biswal alias Shiva and Durgaprasad Sahoo alias Sisira, both of Jagatsinghpur district,  Alok Kumar Biswal and Biswaranjan Pujari,  both from Cuttack district and Deepak Kumar Bhuyan from Chintamaniswar area in the city.

On interrogation, the accused persons confessed to have committed similar offences in Mancheswar and Lingaraj areas.  Based on information provided by them, two gold chains weighing around 32 grams were recovered by the police.

Police have slapped charges under section 395 of IPC and r/w 25 Arms Act against the accused, who are also having 13 dacoity,  snatching, loot and Arms Act cases pending against them at seven police stations in Bhubaneswar and Jagatsinghpur. Manoj Samal and Asis Samal of Kandarpur in Cuttack are still absconding in the case.

In the third incident, the CP said three hardcore criminals, identified as Chakradhar Barik alias Manish (24) of Bolagarh in Khordha district, Rabi Rao of Shantinagar basti in the city and Prakash Bisoi (25) of Ganjam, involved in as many as 20 cases including one under the Arms Act, were nabbed by Special Squad while they were snatching away a gold chain from a lady in Airfield area.

Police have slapped charges under section 379 of IPC against the accused.

All accused persons have been forwarded to a local here today.