Eight persons have been arrested for the ` 15-lakh heist from the Gaiselet branch of Utkal Gramya Bank on October 15. Those arrested include messenger of the bank, Panalal Pradhan, and ward member of Buromunda gram panchayat, Ganesh Sahu.
Bargarh Police have seized from their possession cash amounting to ` 10.50 lakh, an MUV, two motorcycles and one ‘bhujali’.
The others are Sagar Bariha (23), Suresh Sahu (32), Khetrapal Pradhan (27), Trilochan Kumbhar (27), Saroj Bariha (30) and Rudra Meher (35). They are all residents of Padampur and Patnagarh sub-divisions of Bargarh and in Balangir districts respectively.
Informing this to mediapersons on Monday, DIG (north range) Sanjay Kumar said on the day of the loot, bank cashier S K Das and messenger Panalal brought the cash from Padampur branch of SBI in a car. While the cash bag was being taken to the bank, two youths snatched the bag and fled on a two-wheeler towards Bileijharan forest.
A special team headed by Padampur SDPO NC Dandasena and Gaiselet police station OIC Dillip Kumar Swain was formed. During investigation, the team identified the miscreants.
The DIG said that the bank messenger played an important role in the robbery and the plan was hatched about two months back. Panalal had provided all the vital information while Ganesh shared details of police movement and helped the culprits to flee after the dacoity.