Dreaded criminal among 7 held for vehicle lifting in Odisha

ROURKELA: Police have arrested seven members of an organised criminal gang including the dreaded Rajan Sanyashi on charges of lifting heavy vehicles and selling their parts. The accused were arrested by Lahunipara police and sent to Bonai sub-jail in Sundargarh on Wednesday evening. Besides Sanyashi, the others arrested are Anil Kandulna, Joseph Kandulna, Patra Bhuiya, Ajay Toppo, Krishna Minz and Ferari Mahanta.

Bonai SDPO Saurav Otta said in the past nine months, six tippers were stolen from Lahunipada. The last incident occurred on July 21. During the investigation,  police took the help of surveillance cameras of shops and hotels at Lahunipada and managed to arrest Anil, Joseph and Patra, which led to the arrest of four others including Sanyashi from Rajgangpur. 

After stealing heavy vehicles, Anil, Joseph and Patra would hand them over to Ajay, Krishna and Ferari for a paltry amount. The stolen vehicles would then be dismantled at the backyard of a stone crusher unit of Sanyashi at Rajgangpur and costly parts sold in pieces from a roadside hotel from where about 23 tonne of vehicle parts were seized. 

Sanyashi ran a reign of terror around Rajgangpur till he was arrested in 2006. In October 2008, Sanyashi and 11 of his gang members were sentenced to life imprisonment for a double murder, but subsequently, he managed to secure bail.