The accused youth who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the loot of Rs 19.84 lakh from the staff of Phasimal Large Area Multipurpose Cooperative Society (LAMPS) in Jamankira block, has been identified as Rajkumar Saha (28) of Shantinagar under Ainthapali police limits.
Police have recovered from his possession an Italian-made automatic pistol, three live ammunition, a motorcycle with fake registration number and four mobile phones including the one snatched from branch manager of Phasimal LAMPS Santosh Pradhan.
Informing this to mediapersons on Wednesday, Sambalpur SP Prateek Mohanty said identification of another accomplice of Saha has been established and efforts are on to nab them.
On Tuesday morning, the two miscreants stopped branch manger Pradhan and his staff travelling from Phasimal to deposit the money at Jamankira branch of Sambalpur District Central Cooperative Bank. They intercepted the van at Kuagula and charged Pradhan of smuggling of ganja in the vehicle. Even they started searching the vehicle, but Pradhan got suspicious and opposed them. The burglars then brandished gun and looted the cash from them.
After a six-hour chase, the miscreants left their motorcycles near Maltijoar nullah at Dangarpada under Jamankira police limits. While Saha was arrested, the other managed to flee.