(MENAFN- IANS) Bhubaneswar, Nov 23 (IANS) The Rourkela Police on Sunday arrested eight members of an interstate dacoity gang following gunfights at two locations under the Lahunipada and Chandiposh Police Station limits, in which three members of the gang including the mastermind Chanda Nayak alias Chande of Jharkhand sustained bullet injuries.

On November 22, the district police received credible intelligence regarding the movement of an interstate hardcore Chande dacoity gang in the Bonai area of Sundargarh district.

Subsequently, the Inspectors-In-Charge of all police stations and the Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) in the area were instructed to remain alert. All police station staff conducted naka checking in their respective jurisdictions, focusing on main routes and inter-district and inter-state borders.

During the early hours of Sunday, the accused gang members, travelling in one four-wheeler and two motorcycles towards the Koida area, attempted to flee after spotting a police naka. A gunfight then ensued between the accused persons and a joint team of K Balang and Koida Police near the Limsa area under Lahunipada Police Station.

“The accused were warned and asked to surrender. They did not heed the warning of the police team. The team retaliated in a controlled manner and injured one of the accused namely Paras Ram, while others managed to flee towards Chandiposh,” said police sources.

Meanwhile, other members of the gang engaged in another gunfight with a joint team of Chandiposh Police Station and Gurundia Police Station near Kucheita village, during which two accused, identified as Chanda Nayak alias Chande and Rajesh Singh, sustained bullet injuries in their legs.

The injured individuals were immediately shifted to Rourkela Government Hospital for treatment. Later, police also succeeded in arresting five other members of the interstate robbers' gang.

The police seized one Scorpio vehicle, two motorcycles, two country-made pistols, one revolver, eight live rounds of ammunition, and cash amounting to Rs 76,150 from the possession of the accused gang members.

The gang is involved in several robbery cases in Barsuan, Banko, and two other incidents in the Koida Police Station area of the district. They also have multiple cases registered across various police stations in Odisha and neighbouring Jharkhand.

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