Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police here Tuesday claimed to have arrested two persons including a history-sheeter in connection with a gold-snatching case under Lingaraj police station limits. Of the two accused, Narahari Nayak and Punia Nayak, the latter had earlier been booked in 22 criminal cases across the City, according to police sources. Punia had been giving the police a slip since December 28 encounter, when Mancheswar Police, in a violent shoot-out, nabbed his accomplice, Raghu Biswal.
ACP Zone II Girija Shankar Chakrabarty said a case was lodged at Lingaraj police station October 9 by the complainants, brothers, Satrughna and Satyananda Subudhi, who run a shop in Vivekananda Marg. They alleged that an unidentified miscreant had robbed them of two gold chains weighing 50gm, and a gold locket.
The accused intimidated the duo with a toy gun and knife while both were shutting the shop, he added. Chakrabarty informed that after committing the crime, Punia deposited the gold jewels in exchange for Rs 75,000 at a private bank in Bhimatangi area as he held an account in that branch.
Following the complaint, a team comprising officials from Lingaraj police station and a special squad managed to track down Punia’s details from the bank. Efforts are being made to recover the deposited gold. The police will seek additional remand of the accused from local court for further questioning, said a police officer.