Special squad arrests 5 dreaded criminals; seizes 3 pistols, 10 live bullets

Puri: In a major crackdown, at least five hardcore criminals were arrested in the morning today by a joint team comprising a special squad and Talabania police in Puri town of this district.

The anti-socials were identified as Manoranjan Mohanty alias Manua (38), Soumyaranjan Acharya alias Raja (32), Milan Mishra (35), Deepak Suar alias Dipuna and Nilu Barik alias Nilua (32).

Manua was leading the gang of five and has about 18 criminal cases pending against him in different police stations. Similarly, Dipuna has three pending cases, Nilua has three and Milan has six.

According to a police source, special squad was trailing the criminal Manua for the last several months. He was evading arrest and changing locations and very frequently moving to outside Puri and the State. A constant intelligence-based operation was planned and since last 29 days being executed. Finally, the squad and Talbania Police were able to nab him.

Manua is the son of late Raghunath Mohanty from Narashingha Ballav Patana in Mohanty Sahi under Talabania police limits of Puri; Raja is the son of Manoranjan Acharya from Sininda village under Tirtol police limits of Jagatsinghpur; Milan is the son of Sarat Chandra Mishra from Raghupati Nagar at back side of bus stand under Kumbharapada police limits of Puri; Dipuna alias Dipu is the son of Gopal Suara from Suara Sahi under Town police limits of Puri and Nilua  is the son of late Jagabandhu Barik from Markandeswar Sahi under Town police limits of Puri, the police source said.

A Talabania PS case (No-70, dtd-23.04.2023, U/Sections 399/402 of the IPC/ written with Section 25 of the Arms Act was previously registered in this connection. Based on intelligence input, a joint team of special squad and Talabania Police conducted raid on a dilapidated house near Huluhulia bridge in the wee hours of Sunday leading to the apprehensions.

The five accused were planning to commit several loots from tourists on the highway near Huluhulia bridge, other places in Puri town and neighbouring districts at gun point in the coming days.

Incriminating instruments including a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a 7.62mm semi-automatic pistol, a 7.65mm semi-automatic pistol, 10 live bullets, four mobile phones and a steel folding-type knife have been recovered from the possession of the arrested history-sheeters. “Police is investigating the source of procurement of the seized firearms and ammunitions,” the senior official stated.

Notably, accused criminal Manua has also been booked under Section 110 of the CrPC and two warrants of arrest are pending against him.