Six police personnel were injured when dacoits of an inter-state gang trying to loot a house hurled crude bombs at them near Choudhury Chowk area on the outskirts of this western Odisha city, police said today.
The incident occured when the police team reached the spot after getting information about the dacoity bid in the early hours yesterday and overpowered one of the dacoits, Sambalpur Superintendent of Police Nitin Kanodia said.
While trying to escape with some ornaments and cash, the dacoits hurled bombs on the police team, injuring six personnel including two sub-inspectors, three constables and a home guard, he said.
Though all the eight dacoits escaped after the bomb attack, five of them were nabbed last evening from state highway No. 10 near Rengali and two pistols, four swords, several other sharp weapons, five mobile phones, gold ornaments, camera and Rs 16,000 cash seized from them.
Stating that the dacoits belonging to an inter-state gang in West Bengal, the SP said search was on to nab the other four.
The gang members had been operating in Sambalpur and nearby areas for over one year and were involved in at least three dacoities, police said.
