Cuttack, Jan 16: ACP Ashok Kumar Giri confirmed on Thursday that the police have arrested Tushar Mahanti, a man accused of robbing a shopkeeper at gunpoint in the Puri Ghat area. The accused reportedly looted Rs 5000 from the shopkeeper before fleeing the scene.

Following his arrest, police recovered Rs 3000 in cash and two mobile phones from Mahanti. He is set to be produced in court on Friday.

According to ACP Giri, Mahanti entered the shop disguised as a customer. He suddenly brandished a pistol, threatened the shopkeeper, and made off with the money. "We received a report that a youth had come to the shop to buy goods, but suddenly showed a pistol to the shopkeeper and fled with Rs 5000. After that, we went to the scene and conducted an investigation," the ACP stated.

The police acted swiftly by reviewing CCTV footage from the area. After analyzing the footage, they were able to identify Mahanti as the culprit. A search operation was launched, leading to his successful apprehension.

When questioned about the possibility of a gangster network operating in Cuttack, ACP Giri noted that it was premature to label Mahanti as part of a larger criminal group. He assured that the investigation is ongoing and more details would be revealed as the probe progresses.

The police also disclosed that Mahanti is involved in two to four other cases, which are still under investigation. Further information will be provided once the investigations are complete.