BARIPADA: Balasore police on Wednesday claimed to have busted an inter-state dacoity gang with the arrest of six persons allegedly involved in bank robberies and other crimes in Odisha and West Bengal. At least three pistols, Rs 6.02 lakh cash, 300-gram gold ornaments, nine mobile phones and four motorcycles were seized from the six accused, three of whom belong to neighbouring West Bengal.
They are Santanu Maity (40) of Srikrishnapur within Dantun police limits besides Goutam Rout (33) and Uttam Rout of Junput area in West Bengal. The rest three were identified as Amar Dey (52) of Nachinda village, Tapan Jena (39) of Rautmandaruni and Papu Das of Baharda, all from Kamarda area in Balasore district.
Balasore SP Sagarika Nath said the accused were involved in looting over Rs 45.52 lakh cash and 300 gram of gold ornaments from the Union Bank at Chandaneswar within Udaipur-Talsari marine police limits on April 26 this year. Based on the complaint of branch manager Nawneet Xalxo, police registered a case and started probe.
During the investigation, police found that after committing the dacoity, the six accused went towards West Bengal. Based on CCTV footage and intelligence inputs, 11 persons from both Odisha and West Bengal were detained. During interrogation, the six arrested persons confessed to their involvement in the crime.
The dacoity gang was also involved in looting the SBI branch at Basta on July 11, 2019, Bank of Baroda at
Basta on July 22, 2022, and UCO Bank at Bhograi on October 13, 2020. These apart, the gang committed dacoity in a jewellery shop at Ramnagar in East Midnapore and five robberies in West Bengal.
The SP said the gang sent its West Bengal members to loot banks in Odisha. Similarly, the Odisha members were sent to rob the banks in West Bengal. Further investigation is underway and efforts are on to nab the other members of the dacoity gang.