Cuttack: Jagatpur police have arrested five persons in connection with the loot of 167 cases of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from a pick-up van at Nuasahi near Birupa bridge on January 27.
As many as 157 cases of IMFL of different brands worth Rs 12,50,000, one Bolero pick-up van, two motorcycles, and three mobile phones during the course of investigation in the loot case, police informed.
The accused have been identified as Padia alias Pradip Kumar Sethy (21), Ita alias Prafulla Kumar Das (32), Banti alias Arun Bhoi (18), Buta alias Naran Das (20) and Gopan alias Mangal Pingua (23), police said.
According to SN Muduli, ACP Zone-I, Cuttack, on January 27 at about 7.30 PM a Bolero pick up vehicle belonging to complainant Manoj Pratap carrying a trip load of IMFL (167 cases and 6 bottles worth Rs 12,74,655 from Nirgundi depot for a retail shop at Niali was detained on National Highway at Nuasahi near Birupa bridge by six unknown criminals. The accused persons committed dacoity in respect of the liquor loaded vehicle.
The complainant reported that the accused persons also kidnapped both his driver and helper, assaulted them before abandoning the driver on the river bed with his hand and leg tied.
Muduli informed that during the course of the investigation the kidnapped helper Laxmidhar Pradhan was rescued while the pick-up which was abandoned at Manduka under Balaichandrapur police limits was seized.
The ACP said that during investigation it was revealed that 7-8 accused persons including driver of the pick-up Gopan alias Mangal Pingua were involved.
Liquor looted by the accused persons was recovered from Asureswar village under Nischintakoili police limits, the ACP added.
