The police today arrested a criminal from Sambalpur district when he was trying to extort money from traders by terrorising them with a gun, a police officer said.
The incident happened at Sindurpank Chhak in Sambalpur city, the police officer said.
The criminal, a resident of Sonapali locality in the city is a history-sheeter. He is facing as many as 33 cases in different police stations across the state, the police officer said.
A patrolling team of Sambalpur police spotted the criminal, he said.
On seeing the police, he fired in the air and threatened to kill the traders if the police tried to nab him, the officer said.
However, the police overpowered him, he said.
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A 9 mm pistol along with a magazine, a cartridge, one empty cartridge, a multi utility vehicle and a stolen mobile phone were seized from him, the Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Sambalpur Sadar, Bhawani Shankar Udgata, said.
So far, the police have found 33 cases in the name of the accused, he said, adding, the number of cases against the accused may be more, he said.
The accused had also looted a bike, a mobile phone and cash from a man at Khulia chhak under the jurisdiction of Sason police station in the district recently, the police officer said.
The mobile phone, which has been seized from the criminal today, was looted in that incident, the SDPO said.
Earlier, the accused was involved in various criminal activities, such as robbery, criminal conspiracy and extortion in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundergarh, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, and Jagatsinghpur districts, he said.
"We will initiate proceedings to book the accused under National Security Act (NSA)," he said.