Balangir, July 18: Kalahandi police today arrested eight persons, including a trader, in connection with the robbery of about a quintal of iolite gemstones from the camp office of a leased quarry in Olbahali village within the limits of Bhawanipatna Sadar police station on April 16.

The police have also seized a country pistol, an air rifle and some 101kg of the gemstones from the possession of the accused. Two accused, however, are still at large. All the accused were remanded in judicial custody after a court in Bhawanipatna rejected their bail pleas.

Sources in the police said that nine masked persons had barged into the camp office of the gemstones quarry in Olbahali village and attacked the staff, including the watchman and the driver, on the night of April 16. They tied two other staff of the quarry— Amud Meher and Ranjit Gahir — with a rope and asked for the key of the room where the gemstones were stored.

As Meher refused to give the key, they broke open the door of the room and found a bag in which there was 101kg of polished iolite gemstones. The goons took away the bag and locked Meher, Gahir and watchman Damodar Dharua in a room.

The three somehow managed to free themselves and informed Debraj Meher of Titelguda village, who owns the quarry, about the incident. Meher lodged a complaint with the Bhawanipatna Sadar police station on April 17.

Sub-divisional police officer of Bhawanipatna Biranchi Prasad Dehury said during investigation, Surendra Naik of nearby Sagda village came under the suspicion of police.

“Surendra was brought to the police station for interrogation where he confessed to committing the crime,” the SDPO said. “Two accused are still absconding. We will shortly arrest them,” he added.