Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police here today busted a gang of criminals involved in organised crime of settling property disputes by terrorising for a fee.
Nayapalli police have arrested seven criminals who by profession are bouncers and are available for hire for such illegal activities.
According to the police, the arrested persons have been identified as Nakula Mahakud of Malipada, Chandaka; Asish Jena of Niladri Vihar; Dipak Kumar Das of Baramunda; Laxmikanta Das of Science Park Basti; Rajesh Ku Patra of Pipli; Pradeep Kumar Baliarsingh of Delanga; and Asish Kumar Ray of Andharua.
One Subash Chandra Agarwal who was running a shop over Plot No 1470, Nayapalli, beside the NH reported at Nayapalli policed station that on the night of March 24 his shop was demolished by criminals using earthmovers etc, damaging all the articles kept in the shop.
Similarly, Nayapalli police registered a second case on the report of one Pradeep Kumar Samal who was also running another shop in the same plot which was demolished by the criminals. The 3rd and 4th cases were registered on the report of two individuals who alleged that on March 24 night while the shops were getting demolished, the criminals terrorized and looted their valuables.
Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh briefing reporters said that all the aforementioned cases were investigated by a special team considering the sensitivity of the incidents.
Singh said that during the investigation it was ascertained that one person who has bought a portion of the land over which the shops were constructed, hired some local criminals to help him in demolishing the shops to take possession of the said land over which some dispute is continuing since long and matter is pending in the court.
He said that accordingly, the criminals assembled in a place and all of them came to the spot in the night using buses, bikes and earthmovers and all of a sudden started demolishing the structures.
When the shop owners and local residents opposed, the criminals took them as hostages and looted their mobile phones, he added.
“All the accused persons involved in the case have been identified and out of them, seven criminals have been arrested who took active participation in the crime. They are Nakula Makakud of Malipada, Chandaka, Asish Jena, Niladri Bihar, Dipak Kumar Das of Barmunda, Laxmikanta Das of Science Park Basti, Rajesh Kumar Patra of Pipli, Pradeep Kumar Baliarsingh of Delanga and Asish Kumar Ray of Andharua. They are professional criminals earlier involved in different criminal cases and by profession, they are bouncers who are hired by criminals for such illegal activities,” the DCP informed.
A manhunt is on and all the accused persons involved in these cases will be arrested soon, the DCP added.
