Bhubaneswar, Aug 7: Commissionerate Police have nabbed a gang of minor mineral smugglers and seized firearms including a carbine from them.
The accused have been identified as Sanjay Khuntia (34), Shiva Kumar Nali (47), Bata Krishna Pani (50), and Prakash Routray (44). Police seized one carbine, two magazines of the carbine, two pistols, and several rounds of live bullets from them.
Acting on reliable information, Tamando police apprehended the accused from the Kalinga Vihar area.
“This group was very active in the Khordha area and involved in the running of illegal laterite, black granite stone quarry, and sand quarries. They are facilitating and escorting transportation of illegally excavated sand and stone from quarries to reach at different destinations. They keep prohibited automatic and semi-automatic unlicensed firearms with them illegally and remain ready to meet any untoward incident on the road so also inside the quarries. They use weapons to scare their opponents and also take revenge upon them,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Prateek Singh.
Further investigation revealed that Khuntia was involved in the high-profile Sonu murder case registered with the Dhauli police station in 2014. “Khuntia is a diehard criminal and close associate of Chagala Mallick from whom he procured the carbine. We are also trying to nab other gang members,” said a police official.
