Cuttack: Police have busted a chain-snatchers' gang targeting women in desolate stretches of road, especially highway, and arrested five members of the group.

The arrested have been identified as Manoj Kumar Das, 23, of Pirabazar, Basudev Behera, 21, of Jobra Majhi Sahi, Bairagi Das, 30, of New Toral Basti, Kesab Chandra Samal, 36, of Bidanasi Gopal Sahi and Parashnath Sha, 36, of Balubazar.

The gang had been active in the city and involved in a series of chain-snatching cases in Jagatpur, Chauliaganj, Madhupatna, Badambadi, Markatnagar and Sadar police limits, the police said.

"It was a specialised gang that used to rob women of their chains in isolated places after following them on bikes," deputy commissioner of police Akhileswar Singh said.

"Their area of operation covered the national highway stretches of Cuttack from Phulnakhara to Jagatpur and from OMP Square on the Paradip road," Singh said.

Eight gold chains, two motorcycles and a car were recovered from their possession.

Chauliaganj police on Thursday busted the gang while investigating into a chain-snatching case. The incident occurred at Nayabazar on July 22. Around 7pm when a woman was on her way back home at Kunjabihari Lane, two culprits came on a motorcycle and snatched the gold chain from her neck. "Manoj is the gang leader," Singh said.

"Investigations revealed that it was an organised crime under the conspiracy of the accused persons including a jeweller, identified as Parashnath Sha who received all the gold chains," he said.