Bhawanipatna: In a dramatic turn of events, police on Monday foiled an attempted robbery involving firearms and explosives in Mahaveerpada, Bhawanipatna, leading to the arrest of five accused, including three from Ganjam district.
The police have registered two separate cases in connection with the incident at Bhawanipatna Town Police Station.
The arrested persons have been identified as: Ishan Naik (20), Harijan Sahi, Soroda, Ganjam; Manu Naik (21), KP Berhampur, Ganjam; Biranchi Naik (24), Kathagada, Soroda, Ganjam; Rinku alias Trilochan Pradhan (35), Sambhunagarpada, Bhawanipatna; and Abdul Sarfoj Khan alias Babu Khan, Godampada, Bhawanipatna.
According to an official press release, the incident took place around 10:10 AM on Monday when the complainant, Sarat Kumar Behera (42), a resident of Bahadur Bagicha Pada, was en route to a local bank along with a friend to deposit cash. As they reached Mahaveerpada, three unidentified miscreants riding a Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle intercepted them. The attackers hurled chili powder and a handmade bomb at the duo, resulting in injuries to the complainant.
While the miscreants attempted to snatch the cash, their plan failed. One of the attackers was apprehended at the spot by locals. The other two tried to flee the scene but were quickly nabbed by alert police personnel while escaping from Bhawanipatna.
Subsequent investigation by the police led to the arrest of two local conspirators who had allegedly facilitated the entry and planning of the Ganjam-based robbers.
During further interrogation, the police recovered a US-made pistol, a Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle, and five mobile phones of various makes from the accused. A scooty, reportedly damaged in the bomb explosion, was also found at the scene.
The police are currently verifying the source of the firearm and probing the larger network involved in the attempted robbery. Further investigation is underway to determine if more individuals were part of the conspiracy.
