Bhubaneswar: The twin city Commissionerate Police Tuesday claimed to have arrested four persons including three members of a car-lifting gang.
“Padmalochan Nayak, 29, of Haripur under Odagaon police limits in Nayagarh, Kalpataru Jena, 29, of Puruna Tigiria under Tigiria police limits in Cuttack and Muna Barik, 25, of Matikota under Athagarh police limits in Cuttack were taken into custody for robbing four-wheelers as per a case (269/19) registered with Nayapalli police under Sections 365, 379, 323 and 34 of IPC and later upgraded to 364, 395, 482 of IPC apart from 25 and 25 of the Arms Act,” a senior police official said. Santosh Kumar Sahu, 37, of Laxmi Bazar in Dhenkanal, was also taken into custody on charges of purchasing a stolen vehicle from the accused, he added.
Three four-wheelers, two motorcycles, a smartphone and two pistols were seized among other items, the official said.
About the crackdown, the official said that they were investigating the complaint lodged by Shib Sundar Das, 43 of IRC Village under Nayapalli police limits here, when they got the leads.
“Das had approached us June 8 alleging that he was asleep in his car (OD-02-AV-4334) the previous night near his residence when six persons reached the place in a four-wheeler (OD-05-8007) and kidnapped him along with his vehicle towards Vani Vihar. However, to their ill fate, the vehicles dashed with each other and a PCR vehicle rushed to the spot. The desperadoes fled the spot leaving behind their car,” the official said referring to the Das’ police complaint. They managed to decamp with the complainant’s cellphone.
During investigation, two vehicles—OD-05-8007 and OD-02-AV-4334, a 9mm pistol and a hand-made shot pistol were seized from the miscreants, the official said.
Police found the criminals’ involvement in similar cases in and around Cuttack too. “The trio, along with a few others of the gang, have stolen the car (OD-02-AU-3981) from Madhupatna in Cuttack among other similar thefts,” the official said.
