ATM cash van hijack: Driver mastermind of Rs 24 lakh heist

BERHAMPUR: SP Pinak Mishra on Sunday said the driver of the ATM cash carrying van was the mastermind behind the Rs 24 lakh loot at Aska Road on August 18. Driver Asish Diggal and two of his associates Manyabar Naik and Kartik Naik, all from Kandhamal, had planned the heist. Asish cooked up his kidnap story but in reality, he was drugged by his associates as per their plan. 

The SP said after verifying the CCTV footage, police found that the cash carrying van did not speed away but was driven from the scene in a normal way. Suspecting involvement of Asish, police kept a watch on him.After his discharge from hospital, the driver was picked up by police for questioning. During interrogation, Asish confessed to his involvement in the crime. 

As per the trio’s plan, Manyabar and Kartik decamped with Rs 24 lakh cash from the van at Sorala after drugging Asish.  On Saturday, police arrested Manyabar and Kartik and recovered Rs 21 lakh stolen cash buried at Kritangia village in Kandhamal. 

All the three accused were produced in court on the day. On August 18, the van was parked at Aska Road to load cash in an ATM when it was mysteriously driven away from the spot with Rs 24 lakh. During search, the vehicle was found at Sorala with the driver lying unconscious. The Rs 24 lakh cash was missing. 

Fake liquor  unit busted, 1 arrested
Berhampur: Excise officials busted a fake liquor manufacturing unit in Haripur village within Badagada police limits and arrested a person in this connection on Sunday. The accused was identified as Radhamohan Sahu (45). Around 172 litre of spurious liquor was seized.