Cuttack, Feb. 12: Gangster siblings Sushant and Sushil Dhal Samant had disposed of the half-burnt bodies of Dipu Mallick and Om Prakash Swain, both sharpshooters, at an isolated place in Jharkhand.

The two, who were on the payrolls of the brothers, had reportedly become ambitious and were planning to start their own gangs. Police came to know about this after they grilled two of their close associates - Litua alias Bharat Behera and Bhajana alias Sanjay Sahoo. Both have criminal antecedents and are now on police remand in connection with the double murder case.

The cops today said Dipu alias Manoj Mallick and Om were beaten to death by the brothers along with a few of other associates on November 13, 2013, a day after the duo had gone missing.

Police commissioner Y. B. Khurania today told mediapersons that after kidnapping Dipu and Om, Samant brothers took them to a farmhouse in Athgarh on November 12, 2013 and killed them the next day. The building belongs to Nirmal Rout who also works for the gangsters. He was arrested today along with Debasish Kar for their alleged involvement in the case. Seven more persons are suspected to have been involved in the murder.

The gangster brothers, who were also into mining business in Jharkhand, knew about about various isolated spots in the state where the bodies could be dumped without anyone finding out.

"Both Dipu and Om were sharp-shooters. They were killed because they were not following orders. They had become a cause for worry for the Dhal Samants," said Khurania.

The brothers packed their bodies in two gunny bags and went to Paschim Singhbhum area in Jharkhand in two cars. The bodies were then thrown into an isolated area from a bridge. The gang members then walked down the area and set the bodies on fire after pouring petrol on them.

On November 18, villagers spotted the charred bodies and informed Gua police, who subsequently registered a case under Indian Penal Code Sections 302, 34.

As both the bodies had been more than 70 per cent burnt, the identity of the victims could not be established at that time. The Gua police conducted an autopsy and later buried the bodies. They subsequently closed the case, as no credible information could be found.

Senior police officials said two special teams, along with forensic experts, yesterday visited the farmhouse at Athgarh where Dipu and Om were killed and the spot in Jharkhand where the bodies were disposed of.

Vital physical evidences have been recovered and shortly a detailed analysis and examination will be done at the state forensic lab in Bhubaneswar.

The Dhal Samant brothers were arrested on January 28 this year after a case was registered by Chauliaganj police in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of Dipu on January 18.