Cuttack: Cuttack Rural Police have busted a burglary gang responsible for at least 27 thefts across Cuttack, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur districts, with the arrest of two main accused and eight receivers of stolen items.
According to police sources, 925 grams of gold ornaments valued at around Rs 1.4 crore, 3.1 kg of silver ornaments worth approximately Rs 8 lakh, Rs 61,600 in cash, two luxury vehicles, walkie-talkies, mobile phones, and an array of burglary tools such as cutters, screwdrivers, and iron bars.
The operation was led by a specially-constituted team comprising officers from Nischintakoili, Mahanga, Salepur, and the Special Squad Cuttack, under the supervision of Salepur SDPO.
The probe followed a complaint by Gurucharan Pal of Natakai village in Salepur on April 3, reporting that his house was burgled while he and his wife were away in Jagatpur for medical treatment on March 16. Thieves had made off with a large quantity of gold and silver ornaments. Subsequent investigation revealed that similar burglaries had taken place in multiple police limits across Cuttack and Puri districts. Through sustained surveillance and evidence collection, officers zeroed in on two repeat offenders: Rajesh Khatua and Sushanta Swain alias Babuna. Both are history-sheeters with dozens of cases registered against them at various police stations including Paradip, Jagatpur, Choudwar, Salepur, and Govindapur.
Khatua used a Ford Figo and Swain a Mahindra Thar, both allegedly purchased with proceeds from their criminal activities. “We have arrested two individuals and eight receivers. There are 47 cases against Rajesh Khatua and 28 cases against Babuna. Further probe is going on,” Cuttack SP Vinit Agrawal told a presser.
During interrogation, the duo confessed to selling the stolen ornaments to jewellery shops and private buyers. Subsequent raids in Cuttack, Raghunathpur, Kissannagar, and Jajpur led to the arrest of eight receivers, including several jewellery shop owners and metal refiners. Those arrested have been identified as Prakash Kumar Sahoo, Rabindra Sahoo, Biswanath Barik, Subham Kokate, Aruni Ingole, Dinesh Sawat, Sibasankar Ghosh, and Muna alias Prasanta Sahoo.
