Bike lifters’ gang busted; five arrested

Reported by Santosh Jagdev

Bhubaneswar, Mar 28:

In a major breakthrough, Commissionerate Police busted a two-wheeler lifting racket active in the city for the last one month on Thursday evening. Police arrested five members of the gang while the mastermind of racket was still at large.

The police have recovered 15 stolen motor bikes from their possession.

The accused, identified as Sridhar Naik alias Pintu (19) of Jamujhari village, Srinibas Mohanty (19) alias Sinu of Binjhagiri, Rabindra Behera (19) alias Rabi of Mendhasal, Millan Kumar Behera (24) alias Milu of Baligundi village and Manoj Kumar Behera of Puruna Sasan village, all in Khurda district, were forwarded to the local court today.

Briefing media persons at the commissionerate headquarters here on Friday, Twin City Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr R P Sharma said Gyanaranjan Panda alias Kuna of Puri, staying here at Samantrapur under Lingaraj police limits here, is the mastermind behind the racket.

“As part of the efforts to keep a watch on criminal activities in view of the general election 2014, Inspector-in-charge of Chandaka police station and his staff were conducting checking near Mendhasal Chhack here yesterday evening when they noticed the accused Pintu and Sinu, both electricians by profession, with a stolen motor cycle. During interrogation, they admitted that a six- member gang has been operating the motor cycle lifting racket and stealing bikes from different parts of the commissionerate area. The gang members used to operate in Chandaka, Jatani, Laxmisagar and other parts of the city,” the CP said.

Elaborating on the modus operandi of the gang, Dr Sharma said generally they used to lift bikes from busy area with the help of master keys. Later, they used to sell these bikes in rural areas at low prices (Rs 5000- Rs 6000).

All accused had several cases slapped against them under section 379 of IPC at Chandaka, Lingaraj, Jatani and Laxmisagar police stations. Steps are being taken for recovery of another two stolen bikes by the police team.

Meanwhile, police have detained eight persons who bought stolen motor cycles from the accused and are interrogating them. “If anybody is found guilty, he will be punished,” the CP added.

Of the other accused, Rabi was a stone craft worker while Milu was a security guard and Manoj a daily wage labourer by profession, the CP said.