Sundargarh: Lefripada police in Sundargarh district have arrested seven persons in connection with the loot and murder of a goat trader near Suruguda Tarini temple on April 13.
Police have seized two motorcycles, two country-made pistols, 6 rounds of live cartridges, 7 mobile phones, and Rs 9,500 in cash from their possession.
The accused have been identified as Sudhir Kisan of Chaunrdhal village under Bhasma police limits, Pramod Majhi, Sujit Majhi, and Pradip Singh of Gudiali village under Rajgangpur police limits, Kheswar Gop and Arun Oram of Gumla in Jharkhand and Mohanty Badaik of Salngabahal under Raiboga police limits, informed Sundargarh SP Pratyush Dibakar addressing a presser here today.
While goat trader Pravat Naik with two of his associates astride a motorcycle in the early morning of April 13 was going to the Handipani goat bazaar, three miscreants on a bike followed them.
Near Tarini temple, the miscreants pulled out a pistol and threatened Pravat to stop. As Pravat did not stop, they kicked the motorcycle following which he fell down and started running with the bag containing the money.
While Pravat was trying to flee with the money bag, the miscreants fired at him killing him on the spot, and looted the money bag which reportedly contained Rs 9 lakh.
Following the incident, Sundargarh SP formed a team headed by SDPO Himanshu Chandra Behera to nab the culprits.
The SP told reporters that the incident was pre-planned and the motive of the accused persons was loot and as Pravat resisted, they fired at him leading to his death.
He said that the accused persons had done a recce before committing the crime.
