The Sadar police on Thursday arrested two highway looters, who were involved in hijacking an oil tanker and siphoning oil from it, and seized two barrels containing 220 litres of diesel in each.
The arrestees were identified as Kartik Chandra Behera (49) of Gandarda village under the Sadar police station and Sk Imran alias Sk Manan alias Sk Munna (29) of Somnathpur village under the Industrial police station.
The police also seized a pickup van, six empty barrels and Rs 1.78 lakh cash from their possessions. They were forwarded to court after being booked.
Earlier the police had found a hijacked lorry bearing registration number WB-19-J-0486, which was empty, near Bangiriposhi.
According to police, the duo on August 28 had hijacked the lorry near Nagram after terrorising the driver and helper of the tanker, at gunpoint, which was heading towards Angul from Haldia of West Bengal.
They miscreants masked and armed with pistol, took the driver and helper along with them and left them at the Jamsola check gate. Soon the driver and helper Dharmbir Rai and Mangal respectively had informed the owner, Jogindra Prasad Shaw, about the mishap after they were let off.
The owner had lodged a complaint with police. Acting on the complaint the police traced the tanker which was fitted with GPS.
The SDPO said that the crime was committed by professional criminals gang and more arrest are likely as more five to six were involved in the crime.