Rourkela: In a major crackdown, the Rourkela police in Sundargarh district arrested 12 inter-state dacoits for their alleged involvement in motorcycle lifting and chain snatching.
The police team also seized 31 motorbikes, an auto-rickshaw and gold chains worth lakhs of rupees from their possession.
At a press meet here, Panposh SDPO P Sahu said a joint team of Rourkela police along with the Plant Site police, Uditnagar police, Raghunathpali police and Chhend police busted the gang and arrested the 12 looters including the kingpin Rakesh Sagar (29).
The arrested persons have been identified as Rakesh Sagar (29), Navdeep Singh (23), Deepak Sahu (23), Karan Gardia (20), Bijaya Sahu (46), Om Prakash Agarwal (51), Gangu Tirki (28), Bijila Mahanta (40), Mangra, Rama Sahu, Mukesh Kumar and Gautam Sahu (32).
According to police reports the gang was active in Rourkela, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and different cities of Jharkhand.
Police said the arrested persons are involved in several dacoity incidents and have complaints against their names in several police stations.
The dacoits used to loot bikes from various crowded places and sold the same at a low price range of Rs 5000-10,000.
A case has been registered and further investigation is underway into the case, the police said adding that a search is on to nab other members of the gang.
PNN