After the arrest of a dreaded criminal Ananta Kumar Macchua alias Mani on Monday night, police on the basis of his confessions on Tuesday nabbed nine dacoits in connection with the liquor truck loot case on December 4 in Ganjam district.
The nine arrested persons are the associates of Mani, who was critically injured in a police firing near Gudidhepa area in Khallikote.
During interrogation, Mani, the mastermind behind the loot of a liquor-laden truck, confessed about the crime and provided information about the other gang members.
The police swung into action and nabbed the looters. The cops also seized two trucks, a four-wheeler, a gun, three live bullets and 500 liquor bottles from them. Notably, the robbers’ gang had hijacked the truck loaded with liquor bottles worth Rs 50 lakh after attacking its driver and helper near Badaghati under the Khallikote police station.
According to sources, the truck was heading to Cuttack after loading the liquor from Gopalpur. The miscreants abducted truck driver Ranjan Nahal and the helper in an Innova and decamped with the truck. Later, they dumped Ranjan and the helper 10 km away from the spot.