Bhubaneswar, May 17: Sambalpur police today arrested five persons who were trying to extort money from a stone-crusher unit owner while pretending to be Maoists.

The arrested criminals have been identified as Sambhunarayana Deo, 29, alias Lulu of Babusahi, Tikeswar Sethy, 30, alias Kalia of Asurkhol - both from Deogarh, Oman Baba, 35, alias Nanu of Panposh in Rourkela, Sameer Kerketa, 28, of Taperbasa within Biramitrapur police limits and Ashok Lugun, 24, of Tendra Bargaon within Banei police limits - both from Sundargarh district.

"Another accused, Bhima alias Baya Nahak, 26, of Asurkhol in Deogarh district, is absconding," said a police officer. Sambalpur police superintendent Akhilesvar Singh said six masked criminals carrying firearms entered the crusher unit of one Rajesh Kumar Nayak of Ghusuraguda on the intervening night of April 16 and 17. "The criminals locked all the employees of the crusher unit in a room at gunpoint and got to know the mobile number of the unit owner from them. They also looted seven other mobile phones and one hard disc of the closed-circuit television cameras. The criminals threatened the staff members not to run the crusher unit till its owner talked to them," said Singh.

"Later, they threatened Nayak and demanded Rs 10 lakh from him. Initially, the unit owner was hesitant to lodge a police complaint in this regard. But later, he did so after the police took him into confidence," said the police superintendent. The incident had taken place in the third week of April, but the complaint was lodged on May 4.

Sambalpur district has of late been affected by Maoist activities. Taking advantage of this, criminals have started extorting money from many persons pretending to be Maoists. The police also seized two country-made pistols, two mausers, one single bore gun, two bikes, masks, five mobile phones and one hard disc from their possession.