Keonjhar, May 6: Joda police busted an inter-state dacoit gang active in Jharkhand and Orissa and arrested five of its members last night after tracking them for nearly two months.

A police team led by additional superintendent of police (ASP) Akhileswar Singh raided a hideout in Kalapahad forest on the outskirts of the mineral-rich Joda town and arrested the group, wanted in nearly a dozen cases of loot, dacoity, extortion and murders.

The accused have been identified as Mohit Mahato (26), Rebana alias Sudhir (28), Shanu alias Rabi Das (22), Pama Hembrum (21) and Thakur Majhi (24). They belonged to Sareikala and Kharsuan area of Jharkhand.

One country-made pistol, four live cartridges, two bhujalis, two swords, unused petrol bombs and iron rods were seized from them.

These arrests came after the police received information that five armed dacoits would assemble near the national highway in the town to execute a dacoity at a businessman’s house.

“Those arrested were involved in nearly a dozen of cases of loot, dacoity, murder and extortion in Jharkhand and Orissa. The gang has been involved in three loot and dacoity cases in Joda and Barbil areas in Orissa alone,” said Gopabandhu Acharya, officer-in-charge of Joda police station. “We arrested them from the forest while they were preparing to target a businessman in Joda town last night,” he added.

The arrested criminals were operating mainly in the mineral rich Joda-Barbil area of Keonjhar district during the past few months with the help of local links, police said.

“The group has around eight members and the remaining three will also be arrested with the help of the Jharkhand police,” said Acharya.

Police today produced the accused in the court and they were remanded to jail after their bail applications were rejected. Barbil police had arrested six inter-state dacoits last month and seized two pistols, live cartridges, sharp weapons and six mobile phones from them.