16 arrested during Odisha police crackdown against touts

Bhubaneswar: For the fourth consecutive day today, police conducted raids on the premises of different hospitals and Regional Transport Offices across the State and arrested 16 persons for allegedly working as middlemen.

In Cuttack, the police arrested five agents from the premises of SCB Medical College and Hospital. Similarly, one tout was held from each of the RTO offices in Jajpur and Nuapara.

Reportedly, cops arrested two middlemen in Jajpur and one each from Nayagarh, Boudh and Mayurbhanj district while two persons were nabbed from each districts of Keonjhar and Kalahandi.

After Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the Collectors, SPs and Regional Transport Officers on Thursday to ensure that the premises of hospitals and RTO offices remain free from touts and agents, the police have been conducting raids and arresting middlemen.

Yesterday, the police arrested 33 agents from different hospitals and RTO offices.