Odisha police today arrested 12 members of an inter-state gang involved in the killing of driver and at least in 20 cases relating to theft of lorries.
"Of the 12, four are from West Bengal and the rest from Odisha. The police have seized 10 vehicles of different types from their posession," Western Range Inspector General of Police R K Sharma told reporters here.
Sharma said the police had been on the lookout of the gang since they looted a truck carrying an aluminium consignment from Keonjhar in August this year.
The gang had allegedly kidnapped the driver and the helper of the truck and drove away the vehicle to West Bengal along with the consignment.
The driver was later killed by its members in the dense forests near Jashipur in Mayurbhanj district and the helper managed to escape.
The IG said the gang particularly targetted aluminium carrying trucks plying for Hindalco at Hirakur and Nalco at Angul. The police had lodged cases against an unknown gang involved in loot and dacoity of trucks.
"The arrested dacoits have confessed to have indulged in crimes. They have Kolkata links," Keonjhar police superintendent Kabita Jalan said adding that the master mind of the gang has been identified.
Sharma said interrogation of the gang members is on.
