‘Fake’ Maoists arrested for issuing extortion threats to locals

Daringbadi: The Daringbadi police of Kandhamal district arrested two persons from Simonbadi for indulging in extortion by posing as Maoists here on Tuesday.

The two accused have been identified as mastermind Krupakar Mukhi alias Banua of Simonbadi and Alok Digal of Gudumaha village under K Nuagaon police limits of the district.

Police said the duo had sent a letter to a medicine retailer Sukanta Patra of Simonbadi village demanding Rs 3.7 lakh. In the letter, the accused threatened the medicine retailer that they would kill one of his three family members if he fails to give the money in a week, informed Daringbadi police station IIC Kamal Lochan Behera.

A team led by Behera laid a trap to nab the extortionists and was pre-positioned at the area when one of the accused Alok arrived to collect the ransom amount. Police recovered some fake letters, blank pages and a pen from Alok and upon interrogation he accepted involvement in the crime and revealed the name of the mastermind Banua.

Although Patra was initially reluctant to inform police, he later gathered confidence after which he lodged a complaint on July 6 which helped the police nab the accused. All the accused have criminal antecedents and are wanted in different cases, Behera revealed.