Police today arrested 12 members of a highway dacoit gang which was involved in at least 20 cases of theft of aluminium-laden trucks.
"The 12-member gang comprised four from West Bengal and eight from Odisha. Police has seized 10 vehicles of different types from their possession," western range inspector-general- of-police (IG) R K Sharma told reporters here.
Sharma said the gang-members allegedly kidnapped the driver and helper of the West Bengal-bound truck in which they were carrying aluminium coils.
Later, the driver, Brijlal Sahu, was killed by the gang and his body left in the dense forest near Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district, while the helper, Rana Besan Bisoi, managed to escape.
The gang was involved in about 20 such cases of theft, the IG said.
The gang, he said, targeted trucks carrying aluminium from Hindalco in Hirakur, Nalco and other places.
Keonjhar S P Kabita Jalan said that the mastermind of the gang had been identified as Nilakantha Sankhari.
