Nine individuals associated with the Mahakal gang were apprehended in Keonjhar district on Friday, along with weapons and ammunition, according to police reports. The gang is believed to have engaged in illegal sand mining, cattle theft, arms smuggling, dacoity, robbery, extortion, and contract killings, as stated by Keonjhar Superintendent of Police Kusalkar Nitin Dagdu. The arrested members are from Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, as well as Jharkhand. The arrests occurred at an abandoned house close to the Narayanpur Shiv temple in the jurisdiction of Keonjhar Town police station, following a standoff with law enforcement. “The gang, led by Ganesh Giri, was intercepted while en route to rob the Bank of India’s Naranpur branch. Upon noticing the police, they opened fire.
Officers took cover and tactically surrounded the location where the suspects sought refuge,” the SP explained. “Ultimately, the nine suspects were taken into custody,” he added. Dagdu noted that the gang had instilled fear along the Odisha-Jharkhand border, targeting local transporters and traders. He emphasized that the police intervention prevented a significant crime in Keonjhar town. “The arrested individuals are undergoing interrogation for further information. This successful operation represents a crucial advancement in dismantling organized crime in Odisha,” he remarked. The police seized five loaded 7.65 mm pistols, two swords, two machetes, an iron rod, and an SUV during the operation.