Bhubaneswar: Jan. 22: Two highway robbers were arrested today following an encounter with police on Aiginia overbridge on National Highway 5.
Police also recovered one country-made pistol, one live bullet and two daggers from the duo. Sources said the two robbers belonged to a gang that had looted several truck drivers on NH-5 during the last fortnight.
The exchange of fire took place in the wee hours today when the gang encountered a police patrolling party while trying to intercept a truck on the overbridge. While 30-year-old Zabir Khan, who hails from Nayagarh, received bullet injuries in his leg, another gang member, 42-year-old Yujjir Khan alias Alam, was caught on the spot.
Four other dacoits managed to escape. The injured robber has been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. He would be operated upon to remove the bullet, said doctors at the hospital. Khandagiri police registered a case against the accused. While Yujjir was produced in court today, Zabbir would be produced in the court after he is discharged from the hospital.
Sources said the gang, which used to follow potential victims on the highway in a Tata Sumo, had robbed two truck drivers on January 18. On January 13, they had looted another truck driver near the Baramunda overbridge.
Giving details of today’s incident, a police officer said that the robbers fired at the police in a bid to escape in their car after the patrolling party challenged them. The police then fired at the wheels of the vehicle but the goons managed to drive on the damaged vehicle. There was firing from both sides during the chase. Finally, as the Tata Sumo with the damaged tyre came to a halt, a police bullet hit Zabir in the leg and the cops managed to nab Yujjur. Four others fled.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Himanshu Lal said the gang, which has more than 10 members, was involved in several highway robberies. “They used to commit six to eight robberies in one night looting around one lakh rupees,” said Lal, adding that more than 30 rounds were fired during today’s encounter. Sources said that the gang might have been operating for a longer time but their activities came to notice recently when they started attacking truck drivers who refused to part with their money.
Police had intensified patrolling on the highway in a bid to nab the gang.
whose area of operation stretched from Chandikhol to Balugaon. Earlier, the gang members were also reported to have stolen fuel from vehicles on the national highway.
