Two held in Berhampur double murder case

Berhampur: Five days after the Lanjipalli shootout case in which two unidentified persons were killed while travelling in an auto-rickshaw, Ganjam police today arrested two persons from Bihar in this connection.

Police sources said two youths suspected to be involved in the crime have been nabbed by a special police team from an undisclosed location in Munger district of Bihar. They will be brought to Berhampur soon for interrogation, the sources added.

Of the three special teams formed to investigate the matter, two had been sent to Bihar to gather information about the suspects. The Bihar connection of the assailants came to fore after the wallets found from the possession of the deceased revealed their suspected area of operation in the State.

Police said both the deceased as well as the assailants were coming in the same auto-rickshaw from Chhatrapur to the city. However, as the auto reached Lanjipalli square around 8.30 am, the accused shot the victims from close range.

While a bullet pierced head of one, another had bullet wounds on his chest. After shooting down the two, the three assailants escaped from the spot by snatching a bike from a passer-by.

Police had seized two live bullets from the pocket of one of the deceased. Several purses were also found in their possession, which hinted they may be part of a gang of train robbers from outside Odisha.