ROURKELA: Three dacoits of the notorious interstate ‘Chande’ gang, reportedly involved in a series of recent robberies, suffered bullet injuries in two separate police encounters at Lahunipada and Chandiposh in Sundargarh district during the wee hours on Sunday.
The injured are gang leader Chanda Nayak (31) alias Chande of Khunti district in Jharkhand and his associates Paras Ram Singh (33) from Gumla district of the neighbouring state and Rajesh Singh (33) of K Balang area in Sundargarh.
Police said following the encounters, five other members of the gang were also arrested. They are Anethin Topno (30), Etua Naik (42) and Suel Purty (24), all from Khunti, Surajhuni Purty (30) of West Singhbhum (Jharkhand) and Sania Kerketta (22) of K Balang.
Two country-made pistols, one revolver, eight live ammunition, one SUV, two motorcycles and Rs 76,150 cash were recovered from them.
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said following a series of armed robberies in the offices of transport companies in Koida and Lahunipada under Bonai sub-division, police came to know about the involvement of the gang in at least four loot incidents. Acting on a tip-off about presence of the gang members in Bonai, police set up posts at all entry/exit points to check vehicles.
Wadhwani said the gang members were seen heading towards Koida in an SUV and two motorcycles. On spotting a police check post, they retreated. Police chased the criminals and signalled them to stop at Lamsi near Rajamunda in Lahunipada. However, one of them opened fire at the approaching police personnel at around 4 am. Police retaliated in a controlled manner during which Paras sustained gunshot injury to his leg.
While Paras was arrested, other criminals escaped from the spot. Police personnel manning another post near Kucheta in Chandiposh tried to intercept the escaping criminals but the latter opened two rounds of fire at the cops. Police resorted to controlled retaliatory firing during which Rajesh and Chanda received bullet injuries in their legs and were arrested. Later, five other members of the gang were also arrested, the SP said.
During interrogation, the arrested persons confessed to their involvement in four armed robberies in transport offices in Lahunipada and Koida.
Verification of their criminal activities in neighbouring districts and Jharkhand is also underway, said police.