Odagaon: An attempt to loot a passenger bus at gunpoint was foiled at Gola Padia between Bandhabhumi and Beruanbari under this police limits in Nayagarh district Thursday evening. The bus was on its way to Kadua of Ganjam district from Bhubaneswar.
The driver showed exemplary courage and snatched the mouser from the miscreant, following which the gangster fled the place. It is learnt that the passenger bus Ambika had left Bhubaneswar around 6pm. At Gola Padia, a motorcycle-borne miscreant attempted to stop the bus by pointing a gun at the driver.
The driver showed great presence of mind and courageously caught hold of the gangster’s wrist. Frightened, the miscreant got himself freed from the driver’s hold and fled the place, leaving behind his mouser and bike.
Surprisingly, some young passengers standing close did nothing to help the driver but began shooting the entire incident on their mobile phones. This made it easier for the gangster to escape from the scene.
Sources said an accomplice of the gangster, standing guard for the man in action, at a distance, also fled the scene. Police reached the spot and escorted the passengers to Kadua. The mouser and the red pulsar bike were seized and a manhunt was on, police said.
Locals praised the courage of the driver. They also said there was shortage of staff at the Odagaon police station and Bahadajhola outpost, and hence criminal activities were on the rise in the area.
