Kendrapara: Police on Thursday arrested a gang of criminals who had let loose a reign of terror in Kendrapara and neighbouring Jagatsinghpur districts.
Five members of the newly-floated gang were nabbed and arms were seized from their possession while they were plotting to perpetrate a crime, police said.
The arrested gangsters were involved in three bomb hurling incidents in the last one and a half month. Besides, a dozen of extortion crimes have been committed by them during the said period. They used to target contractors and employees of construction firms for protection money.
Of late the criminals had set on fire two JCB machines in Patkura police station areas as the construction firm owners had refused to oblige them with demanded extortion sum, said Kendrapara Superintendent of Police, Mr. Dayanidhi Gochayat.
An improvised revolver, live cartridges, a live bomb and two motor cycles were seized from their possession. The arrest was made following electronic tracking of their mobile phones, police added.