Odisha: Notorious Robber Who Opened Fire at Police Among Nine Arrested
Police seized gold and silver ornaments valued at around Rs 50 lakh, besides a firearm, 20 rounds of live ammunition, Rs 50,000 in cash and four vehicles.
Bhubaneswar: A suspected interstate robber who allegedly opened fire at a police patrol team and escaped during a late-night operation has been arrested along with eight associates in Odisha’s Koraput district, police said.
The accused, identified as Tuna Harijan alias Siman Nag, was arrested by Borigumma police after a special team traced him to Jagdalpur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh on September 3, officials said on Saturday.
Tuna and the other accused were produced before a court following a seven-day police remand and have since been sent to judicial custody.
According to police, Tuna had recently been released from jail but soon regrouped and formed a new gang, which allegedly became active in several parts of the undivided Koraput district.
On August 25, he allegedly opened fire at a police patrol team on the Parli-Dabuguda road late at night when the personnel attempted to intercept the gang. He subsequently fled from the spot, prompting police to launch a special operation to track him down.
During interrogation, Tuna allegedly confessed to his involvement in a series of theft and robbery cases, including alleged thefts at Kamara, Bhairab and Bijapur temples, besides the Bhansuli robbery and Badigaon burglary, police said.
Investigators were now examining his alleged links to a wider network of criminals operating across the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.
Police said more than 40 criminal cases are pending against Tuna in different districts of Odisha, while another 10 cases have been registered against him in Chhattisgarh.
The arrests have also led to the recovery of a substantial quantity of suspected stolen property.
Police seized gold and silver ornaments valued at around Rs 50 lakh, besides a firearm, 20 rounds of live ammunition, Rs 50,000 in cash and four vehicles, including a Bolero, officials said.
Police were now investigating the role of the other members of the gang and verifying their possible involvement in cases reported in Odisha and neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
