Bhubaneswar, Aug. 1: Two goons were arrested today for their involvement in firing at a man and attempting to snatch the gold chain of a woman at Nageswar Tangi on July 26.

Local residents had handed over another goon involved in the same incident to the police the same day. The two others had escaped then.

Police have seized two pistols including the one used in the crime and three live bullets from the duo, identified as Sahajahan Khan, alias Patu, 35, and Narendra Kumar Kandi, alias Kalia, 28. While Khan belongs to Gop of Puri district, Kalia is from Konark.

“All the three have been involved in a number of snatching cases. We have also recovered gold ornaments weighing around 80 grams from them,” said deputy commissioner of police Nitinjeet Singh.

Police officials said that on the day of crime, Patu was with Farid, who was nabbed by the local residents. Patu had fired at Kartik Moharana, the neighbour of Jhunu Patniak, whose chain the goons had tried to snatch. Moharana had pinned down Farid. Kalia was waiting for his associates at a distance.

Police said the trio had been involved in a number of snatching cases at Laxmisagar, Saheed Nagar and Nayapalli.

Both Kalia and Patu, who had managed to escape from the spot, were hiding in Bhubaneswar and Puri before being arrested. “They have been to jail several times. Kalia was recently released on bail,” said a police officer.

The Cuttack-Bhubanesar police are planning to give Rs 5,000 to Moharana and appoint him as a special police officer (SPO). Chief minister Naveen Patnaik felicitated Moharana, an arts graduate, who was discharged from the hospital early this week after being treated for his bullet injury.