BALASORE: Sahadevkhunta police arrested two hardcore criminals from Telengasahi in Balasore district on Tuesday.
The accused are Kailash Das (32) and Animesh Ghosh (35), both residents of Telengasahi. Balasore SP Pratyush Diwakar said Das and Ghosh were notorious criminals who had established an organised crime network across Odisha and West Bengal.
The SP said initial investigation revealed that the duo was involved in criminal activities since 1999. At least 32 cases were registered against Ghosh in Balasore. Similarly, 24 cases were pending against Das across the district.
“The duo had formed a gang of hardened criminals who extorted large sums of money at gunpoint from sand and stone quarry contractors, builders, prawn traders, real estate developers, showroom owners, transporters and fuel tanker operators,” the SP said. The accused were also involved in several murders and violent attacks on rivals and businessmen who refused to comply with their illegal demands, he added.
Police said though in hiding, the duo operated in Balasore through their associates. Acting on reliable information about their return to their native place, a special police team conducted a raid at Telengasahi and arrested them on Tuesday morning.