During a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Twin City Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda announced that the arrested criminals were part of the ‘Surat gang,’ which had been actively involved in a series of gold chain snatching incidents.
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In a
significant development, the Commissionerate Police on Friday reported a major
success in cracking down on a spate of chain-snatching incidents that had
plagued various areas of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack over the past two months. The
police arrested four individuals believed to be key members of a criminal gang
responsible for these crimes.
During a
press conference in Bhubaneswar, Twin City Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda
revealed that these individuals were part of the notorious ‘Surat gang,’ which
had been actively targeting people for gold chain snatching in both cities. The
gang was led by Subhas Pradhan, identified as the mastermind behind the
operation, with Amit Sarangi acting as his close associate.
According to
the police, Subhas first ventured into the world of crime in Surat, where he
was involved in a murder case. Both he and Amit were arrested and granted bail
in 2018. After being released, Subhas relocated to Puri, where he was injured
during an encounter with the police. Following this, he fled back to Surat but
eventually returned to Odisha a few months ago to resume his criminal
activities.
The Surat
gang, which has been involved in numerous criminal cases across Surat and
Odisha, was linked to at least nine chain-snatching incidents in Bhubaneswar
and Cuttack alone. Panda explained that a special police team had been working
tirelessly on these cases. After a thorough investigation, which included the
review of CCTV footage, the squad was able to make a breakthrough and apprehend
the suspects.
As part of
the operation, the police seized a significant amount of evidence, including
eight stolen gold chains, two motorcycles, two mobile phones, and several sharp
weapons believed to have been used in the gang’s crimes. Commissioner Panda
emphasized that the arrests would likely bring relief to the residents of
Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, who had been living in fear of falling victim to the
gang’s activities.
This arrest
underscores the importance of sustained police efforts and the use of modern
investigative tools such as CCTV in curbing crime. The authorities are
continuing their investigation into the gang’s other potential crimes and are
working to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.