3 days ago
Inter-state loot & snatching gang busted, 5 arrested
Keonjhar: Police on Friday busted an inter-state loot and snatching gang, arresting five individuals, including two receivers from Jharkhand. The operation led to the recovery of 29.530 grams of gold ornaments, 3,681.27 grams of silver ornaments and a motorcycle.
The accused have been identified as Rajendra Pingua, 32,, Deepak Gope, 30, and Saroj Keshari, 32, all hailing from West Singbhum district of Jharkhand. The receivers, Shivprakash Prasad, 54, and Rajendra Prasad, 50, were apprehended in Jharkhand's East Singbhum. The gang is believed to have been involved in numerous criminal activities across Odisha and neighbouring states.
Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Barbil, Debendra Pingua, said the gang was actively engaged in multiple robbery cases in Barbil, Joda and Champua areas of Keonjhar district.
Acting on intelligence, police conducted a cross-border raid in Jharkhand, resulting in the arrest of all five accused. The initial arrests were made in Barbil, leading to further apprehensions.
The gang reportedly sold the stolen gold jewellery in a Jharkhand-based shop, leading to the arrest of its two owners. "The arrests are a major success in our efforts to tackle inter-state organised crime," said Pingua.
Keonjhar police have intensified their probe to track down other gang members and prevent future incidents. Rajendra is linked to 10 cases across 10 police stations, Saroj to 8 cases, and Deepak to 3 cases in both Keonjhar and Jharkhand.
