After arresting seven arms dealers of a gang following an encounter that took place in hotel Swagat Palace here on Saturday, the Quick Action Team (QAT) of the Commissionerate Police launched a manhunt on Sunday to nab the two other members of the gang.
Twin City Commissioner of Police RP Sharma while addressing reporters here said the Quick Action Team (QAT) has started the manhunt to nab the two members of the gang involved in several criminal cases under different police stations of the State.
During the interrogation of the seven nabbed criminals, the police have managed to get the name of only one of the two absconding criminals. He is called laxmi Jena hails from Ganjam district.
Sharma said the members of the gang were supplying firearms after purchasing them from different illegally-run gun factories.
“After getting information about the arms deal, our team had conducted raids on hotel Swagat Palace in the city,” he added.
The nabbed arms smugglers Mrutunjay Sahu (49) of Polasara, Siddharth Nayak alias Babu (21) of Aska, Tuna Swain (25) of Kodala, Kuna Barik of Kabisuryanagar, Bulu Patra (30) of Aska, Suryanarayan Padhi of Polasara (all from Ganjam district) and Ramesh Pradhan (24) of Ranpur in Nayagarh district were forwarded to a local court here on Sunday.
The Commissioner of the police said that six out of the seven arrested arms dealers belong to Ganjam district. The Commissionerate Police have collected information and crime records of the criminals in order to search for other persons involved in arms dealing, he added. “If needed, we will take the accused on remand to quiz them about their involvement in arms dealing,” said Sharma.