Report by Akshya Rout; Jajpur: In a major success, the Jajpur police on Tuesday busted a gang of five armed dacoits near Sunguda under Badachana police limit here.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of selected police officials led by the Badachana Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO)Bipin bihari Mallick and the Badachan IIC Prasanta Kumar Majhi arrested them while they were planning to loot a petrol pump of Jaraka.

The police also seized two country-made pistols, three swords, 15 live bullets, three bikes, one laptop and six mobiles from them.  The arrested persons were identified as Mrutynjaya Mahalika (38) of Kantapada area in Balasore district, Balaram Pradhan (33) of Deokul village under Badachana police limit of Jajpur district, Pramod Kumar (26), Ram janman Yadav (26) and Md Iqubal Khan (28) of Gaya area in Bihar.

According to sources, on being informed by the district superintendent of police (SP) Dr Dipak Kumar, the SDPO and the IIC arrested the five. “The gang had committed a series of dacoity in Jajpur, Balasore and other areas and several cases are pending against them in various police stations in these districts,” said a senior police officer.  They were also involved in the Dipa petrol pump loot  of Badachana on 25 may 2012, the police officer said.

“We received a tip-off from the SP that members of an armed gang were planning to commit a dacoity near Sungudalast night. We rushed to the spot and nabbed all the five of them,” said the SDPO.

They have been booked under section 395/397 of the IPC and section 25/27 of the Arms Act. They all were forwarded to court on today.