Bolangir: Khirod Mishra, the mastermind of the Timan gang locally known as 'Guruji', was arrested by the Town Police today in connection with a fresh land fraud case.
The fugitive Guruji, who had surrendered before the police yesterday, was arrested after the police received a complaint from Masiha Charan Das last evening.
Talking to our correspondent today, Das said he had gathered courage to speak against the Guruji after the media and the police took strong action against him and his gang members.
Talking about the modus operandi of Guruji, he said Mishra had called him to his house through Rajendra Pal of Talapalipada area on the outskirts of the town in 2013.
“After I reached his house, I found Timan Kumbhar and 8-10 of his gang members there. Soon, they started thrashing me severely in presence of the Guruji till I begged for my life. They forced me to sign on a blank paper at gunpoint and took possession of my land. I had to remain silent as I thought that my life is more precious than my property. But I gathered courage after the media began a relentless campaign for his arrest and the police, acting on the information provided by the media, nabbed Timan and his gang members and finally the Guruji,” Das said.
Meanwhile, Bolangir Additional SP Sashi Bhusan Satpathy began interrogation of the Guruji in the presence of the complainant at the Town Police station soon after his arrest this morning.
Sources said the police, in course of its investigation, has collected vital information about Guruji’s involvement in several land grab cases in the district.