Policemen with the arrested trio. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, June 21: A major crackdown on criminals in Sambalpur saw three goons being thrown behind bars yesterday. Police said the trio — Babu Behera (23), Tridev Naik (21) and Satyakam Tripathy (20) — had several criminal cases pending against their names. One revolver, three pistols, two live ammunition and three mauser magazines were recovered from the accused.

Acting on a tip-off, personnel of the Ainthapali police station raided the house of Behera at 8.30pm on Monday evening and arrested him. The police said Behera was involved in several cases, including one of attempt to murder. The case in this regard was filed at Ainthapali police station in December last year.

“Babu Behera was arrested from his Santi Nagar house in Sambalpur. He was absconding since December last year and had been taking shelter in Titlagarh, Jharsuguda and Deogarh,” said P.K. Rout, inspector in-charge of Ainthapali police station.

“Behera was involved in an attempt to murder case in December last year. Moreover, he was also involved in the Sivaji Majhi murder case, which took place in January this year. Though he was not present when Majhi was killed, Behera is thought to have masterminded the murder,” Rout added.

The police have recovered one revolver, two pistols, live ammunition and mauser magazines from his possession.

Like Behera, Tridev Naik, an absconder and accused in several cases, also landed in police net. The police picked him up from a place near an ice-cream factory in Katardhua in Sambalpur last night. The police said Tridev was an associate of arms peddler Muna Behera.

“He was also an aide of dreaded criminal Suraj Singh of Rourkela. With the arrest of Tridev Naik, an inter-district gang of dacoits has been busted,” said Rout.

“Tridev was involved in six robbery cases. We have evidence of his involvement in three robbery cases in Deogarh, one in Banei of Deogarh district and one in Kisinda of Rairakhol sub-division of Sambalpur district. The gang had network in Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda and Rourkela,” he added.

“Tridev was also involved in a robbery case that took place on May 31 on Bhimabhoi road under Ainthapali police station. The revolver he had used in the robbery has been recovered. He had bought the revolver from Satyakam Tripathy of Katardhua in Sambalpur.

The police have arrested Satyakam and recovered the revolver from his possession. Satyakam has three cases pending against him at Ainthapali police station. The trio have been produced in court today,” said Rout.