Bhubaneswar, Dec. 5: Saheed Nagar police have arrested four members of a highway robber gang while they were trying to intercept an autorickshaw on the National Highway No. 5 near Satsang Vihar.

Two other members of the gang managed to flee the spot last night, police sources said.

The accused have been identified as Subash Pani, 22, Santosh Sahu, 23, Kartik Singh, 23 and Santosh Mallick, 28 - all from Cuttack. The police have also seized some knives and Rs 2,500 cash from the accused.

The police said the gang used to intercept running vehicles on the highway and rob them at knifepoint.

"We suspect the gang was involved in a number of robberies on the highway. We are further interrogating the accused to ascertain their antecedents," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.

Fake currency

Nayagarh police today seized fake currency notes worth Rs 41,000 and detained two youths from Bengal. The police said that 82 counterfeit notes of Rs 500 denomination were seized from the duo.

The youths had tried to pass on a fake note after buying tobacco from a store in the district headquarters town of Nayagarh.

The shopkeeper tipped off the police after realising that the note was fake.

"We suspect the involvement of a well-organised gang behind the circulation of counterfeit notes in the state. We are interrogating both the youths to find out the source of the fake notes," said a police official of Nayagarh town police station.