BJD youth leader among nine arrested for truck theft in Odisha

Jajpur: In a major crackdown, Dharmasala police in Odisha’s mineral-rich Jajpur district have arrested nine persons, including a BJD youth wing leader, in connection with a case of stealing of trucks in the district. The inter-state racket has at least six members from Odisha and three more from outside the State.

Six of the persons arrested under Sections 379/294/120(B) and 34 of the IPC are BJD leader Aswajit Rout alias Mantu (40), Bikram Nayak alias Kalia (36), Mohammad Abu Nasar alias Juma (29), Soumyashree Jena alias Sonu (26), Ramesh Parida (38), Biswajit Samal alias Tinku (31), stated Pramod Mallick, SDPO, Jajpur at a press conference here today.

Three more arrested under Sections 420/468/411 and 34 of the IPC are Gudu Thakur (40) from Badha locality under Pandaratha police limits in Patna district of Bihar, Ajay Kumar Shaw (36) from BT Road, CIT Building, under Kashipur police limits in Kolkata and Abinit Shaw alias Raja (36) from BT Road under Sirthi police limits in Kolkata of neighbouring West Bangal, the senior police official added.

According to police, a truck was stolen on September 11 from a local stone crusher near Bhadanga under Dharmasala police limits. Acting on an FIR earlier lodged by the vehicle owner, Dharmasala police launched a probe leading to the busting of truck theft gang.

Dharmasala police previously registered a case (No-512, Dated 11.09.2022, under Sections 379/294 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code) and a detailed probe is still underway, the cop further said.

Police have seized the earlier stolen truck (bearing registration number CG-15 AC-1086), a car (bearing registration number WB-08 L-1786) and cash of Rs 2,45,000 from possession of the arrested persons.

Notably, the accused used to sell the vehicles to their partners in crime in Kolkata who used to dismantle it and sell them as scrap.