BHUBANESWAR: The Commissionerate Police on Friday night busted a dacoit gang and arrested five criminals from Kalinga Nagar near Khandagiri in the Capital.
Police seized a 7.65 mm mauser, four live ammunition, two machetes and a motorcycle from their possession.
The accused are Gauri Shankar Swain and Jagannath Bisoi of Bhanjanagar, Sita Swain of Buguda, Papu Mohanty of Polasara in Ganjam district and Biswanath Pradhan of Jatni.
According to police, the five accused have more than a dozen criminal cases filed against them in police stations in Ganjam and Khurda districts.
They were planning a dacoit in the City when the police arrested them, said Commissioner RP Sharma, adding they were released from jail a few months back.
A resident of Kalinga Nagar spotted some men moving suspiciously in the area and alerted the police. An hour later, a team of Khandagiri police and Quick Action Team (QAT) conducted a joint operation and arrested the criminals.
The accused were booked under several Sections of IPC and Arms Act and produced in a local court on Saturday.