Bhubaneswar Police Bust Snatchers' Gang Led by Amputee, Arrest Four
Bhubaneswar City Police have successfully dismantled a snatchers' gang, apprehending its alleged leader, Arun Kumar Sahoo (25), and three associates. A 17-year-old member of the gang has also been detained. Sahoo, who lost his right palm in a bomb explosion approximately six months ago, is accused of continuing to supervise the gang's operations by recruiting and directing other youths to carry out snatchings. The gang primarily targeted morning walkers, particularly women wearing gold ornaments, in areas such as Pahala, Balianta, Chandrasekharpur, and Macheswar in Bhubaneswar, as well as the Sadar area of Cuttack. Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh stated that preliminary investigations link the gang to at least 12 recent snatching incidents. Authorities recovered stolen gold ornaments valued at around Rs 12 lakh, five motorcycles, and multiple mobile phones from the accused. Sahoo has a prior record, having been involved in at least 25 robbery and dacoity cases in Bhubaneswar during 2021 and 2022.