BHUBANESWAR: Police on Friday arrested four persons, including the husband of a former sarpanch, for allegedly looting Rs 27 lakh from Indian Bank’s Mandhatapur branch in Nayagarh district.
The accused have been identified as Sagar Moharana (26) of Jagatsinghpur, Pramod Nayak (21) of Daspalla, Purna Chandra Prusty (50), husband of former sarpanch of Jemadeipur panchayat of Nayagarh Sadar, and Kartika Barad (50) of Itamati. While Prusty and Barad were involved in plotting the robbery, six others including Moharana and Nayak executed the heist, police said.
According to initial investigation, at least six persons armed with guns barged into the bank within Nayagarh Sadar police limits at about 5.15 pm on Wednesday. Moharana, Nayak and their four associates had covered their faces with masks and handkerchiefs and wore helmets when they stormed the bank. They looted Rs 27 lakh holding the staff at gunpoint before fleeing on three motorcycles towards Ranpur.
Bank manager Sunil Kumar Sahoo lodged a complaint, following which inspectors of the all the bordering police stations were directed to conduct blocking to ensure the accused persons were not able to leave the district.
Initially, Ranapur police managed to nab Moharana and Nayak and seized a bag containing Rs 20.86 lakh looted cash along with their bike. Police also seized a countrymade pistol and two bullets from Moharana. During the search operation, police seized another motorcycle near Baunsagarh Square, which belonged to the other miscreants. Nayagarh SP S Susree said, “Two conspirators have been arrested. Out of the six who committed the dacoity, two have been apprehended and efforts are on to nab the four others and recover the remaining cash. All of the accused have criminal antecedents.”