Bhubaneswar: Police have come into action mode in Berhampur over a suspected major criminal conspiracy. Four people, including former mayor Shivshankar Das alias Pintu Das’ brother Chandrashekhar Das, are being interrogated by the Gosaninuagaon Police Station.
The accused were caught from a rented house and a gun was also seized from there.
According to police sources, Chandrashekhar had gathered with some of his associates at the rented house. Acting on suspicion that a criminal plan was being hatched, police conducted a raid.
During the raid, Kailash Mohanty, Sipun Sahu and Debashish Patra along with Chandrashekhar Das were detained. However, some other associates reportedly managed to escape from the spot. Police are searching for them.
During the raid, police recovered a gun from Chandrashekhar. Police are investigating the source of the weapon, whether it was licensed or not, for what purpose it was kept and whether it was intended to be used in any criminal activity. Police are interrogating the four detained persons separately. Their phones, communications and the motive behind assembling at the rented house are also being investigated.
In the preliminary investigation, police suspect that it is not just a case of storing weapons but could be part of an organized criminal plan. Investigation is underway to ascertain whether Chandrashekhar was planning any criminal act with his accomplices, who the target was, and whether there is any old enmity or gang link behind it.
Police have launched an investigation to identify the accomplices who fled during the raid and raids are being conducted at their possible hideouts.
