Cuttack, April 30: Surendra Das alias Belu, alleged kingpin in 1992 hooch tragedy, was today arrested on charges of committing a dacoity. Police said Belu was also arrested in connection with the recent firing incident in which one Amiya Ranjan Behera (22) was shot at near Jobra. He was fortunate to have escaped unhurt with minor injuries.

Besides Belu, seven others — Bikash Sethy (21) alias Raka, Chitaranjan Patra alias Kalia (22),P. Munna Reddy alias Muna (21), Ranjan Mohanty alias Disco Bapi (30), Sandip Mohanty alias Sonu (30), Debendranath Mallick alias Dilu (34), Rajesh Pal (21) — have also been arrested in this connection.

Police sources said that Sethy, Patra and Reddy were nabbed for planning to commit a dacoity and attack Behera while others were arrested for involvement in the conspiracy. All the accused were arrested from Patra Sahi area in Jobra when all of them had assembled near the Gujarati High School at around 1.30 pm last night.

Behera had earlier escaped unhurt when unidentified goons had attacked him near Jobra Durga Chhak on April 22. The incident had occurred at around 6.30am when Behera was on his way back home at Mallha Sahi.

Behera said five armed goons had fired at him in which he had sustained minor injuries near his ribs. Among the accused, Sethy, Patra and Reddy were arrested for preparing for a dacoity and attack Behera again yesterday while the other accused were arrested for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.

Sources said that the criminals had planned to attack Behera again in a bid to put pressure on him to withdraw the police complaint lodged by him on April 22 after the attack.

Moreover, Behera had a dispute with some local youths that was lingering from holi. Following the incident, Behera was admitted in S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital and had then lodged a complaint with Malgodown police. All the arrested persons have criminal antecedents and around eight cases each are registered against Ranjan Mohanty and Surendra Das alias Belu in various police stations in the city. The criminals had targeted Behera over past rivalry, police sources said.