Inter- District Dacoit gang who were involved in smuggling Kendu leaves 7 held.
Dushmant Panda,Odishabarta
Kalahandi: Basis on the complaintant Daitari Naik, I/c Range Officer, M. Rampur, Kalahandi, gave a written complaint at M. Rampur PS stating that on 29.08.2021 at about 01.00 AM, some 12-15 unknown persons came in truck and motorcycles to Ekatara Kendu Leaf Phadi, threatened the binding labourers with a pistol and sword & took away 40 bags of Kendu leaves worth Rs. 7.50 lakhs .
Based on this IIC M. Rampur registered M Rampur PS Case No.- 169 /2021, u/S 395 IPC R/W Sec. 25/27 Arms Act and SI J.D. Tarini was assigned as IO to the case.
During the course of investigation, it was understood that some people smuggle Kendu (beedi) leaves from different parts of Odisha to West Bengal after loading them onto vehicles/trains. They mainly sell them to unlicensed Bidi manufacturers mostly in West Bengal, which yielded in profits without having to pay any tax. As such there is high demand for Kendu leaves.
The investigation of this case led to one Md Khurshid Ali @ Dablam, S/o Late Md Badhsha, Motijharan, PS- Dhanupali, Dist.- Sambalpur, who has been involved in illegal trade of Kendu leaves for last 3 years and is thus an experienced trader. He has developed a network of people to procure Kendu Leaves by illegal means.
Further investigation showed that one of the persons in his network was Debraj Kuanr of Vill-Saiduli, PS- Tarbha, Sonepur, who has been involved in Kendu leaves smuggling for some years now. Debraj Kuanr’s area of operation is Bolangir, Boudh, Sonepur and Kalahandi. Debraj Kuanr has many associates who identify the potential area to obtain Kendu leaves. They first identify the vulnerable Kendu Leaf Phadi and then inform to Md Khurshid Ali @ Dablam. Dablam provides the vehicle for transportation of the illegally occupied Kendu Leaves. Another person named Md Abdul Hasan takes the illegally obtained Kendu leaves from Dablam at Sambalpur and transport it to Kolkata, West Bengal and sell the same to unlicensed Bidi Manufacturers/brokers. They thus have an organised set up for smuggling of Kendu leaves from Odisha to West Bengal.
In relation to M Rampur PS Case No. 169 /2021, u/S 395 IPC R/w Sec. 25/27 Arms Act, the modus operandi is as following :
Dablam contacted Debraj Kuanr for potential places to obtain Kendu leaves. Debraj then contacted Gobind Mallick, S/o Akura Mallick, Vill- Dubla, PS- Tarbha, Sonepur and Milu Bhoi, Vill- Uder, PS- Kantamal, Boudh to plan on obtaining Kendu leaves. One Nepal Majhi, S/o Bhakti Majhi, Vill- Majhi Pada Bhatel, PS- Narla, who is known to Milu, was roped in to help recce for suitable places since he was a local.
Around 15 days before the date of occurrence, Debraj Kuanr, Milu Bhoi and Lakhicharan Sahu accompanied Nepal Majhi to recce three places – Joradabra, Palam and Ekatara. Finally after calculating the risks and planning required, they settled on Ekatara Kendu Leaf Phadi under M. Rampur PS jurisdiction, as a suitable target, since Ektara Phadi is located at a relatively secluded place and also a majority of its working labourers were females. The same was intimated to Dablam.
Two days before the date of occurrence i.e., on 27.08.2021, when they came to know from Nepal Majhi that the binding of the Kendu leaves at Ekatara was almost done and soon it will be shifted, then Dablam along with driver, Raghu Majhi left Sambalpur in a 1109 Truck bearing Reg No. OD 02 B 9734 and reached Phalsaguda, Boudh where they met Gobinda Mallick, a local driver and the three then came to Dhankhandi area under Tarbha Police Station, Sonepur. Dablam, Debraj Kuanr, Manoj Sandha, Gobinda Mallick, Milu Bhoi, Raghu Meher, Tejraj Kuanr, Lakicharan Sahu planned the course of action needed to loot the Kendu Leaves from Ekatara Phadi. After confirming that the binding was over, later that night they all left for Ektara, on the 1109 truck and three motocycles. In order to avoid suspicion they arranged for dinner at a roadside dhaba about 5 km from M. Rampur and had their dinner at a secluded place at around 9.30 PM.
Debraj Kuanr, Manoj Sandh, Gobinda Mallick, Milu Bhoi, Tejraj Kuanr, Lakicharan Sahu reached the spot first on three motorcycles and made recce of the spot from 10.45 PM till 12.30 AM. After a satisfactory recce of the area, at 1 AM, Dablam and Raghu Meher arrived at the spot in the white 709 truck bearing registration number OD 02 B 9734. They then struck at the Phadi by waking up all the labourers who were sleeping, snatching away their phones, segregating them into males and females groups by showing a toy pistol and an iron rod.
During the course of committing dacoity i.e., from 1 AM to 1.25 AM, Dablam stayed on lookout at a distance while the rest loaded the Kendu leaves sacks into the truck while forcing the labourers to help them. After loading, Gobind Mallick and Raghu left the spot with the Kendu Leaves laden truck at about 01.30 AM, while the rest of the group stayed back to guard the spot and lookout and afterwards they all left on the three motorcycles at about 3:30 AM. Raghu Meher and Govinda Mallick arrived near Manamunda Petrol Pump, Boudh with the loaded truck, where one Md Abdul Hasan Khan @ Abul, S/o Md Kamru Jama Khan, Motijharan, PS- Dhanupali, was waiting for them, while the rest of the members also joined them in sometime. There Dablam gave Rs 30,000 to Debraj Kuanr and Rs 5,000 to the local driver, Gobind Mallick.
Thereafter Dablam left with Abdul Hasan Khan for Sambalpur, while the rest returned to their respective villages. After two days, Reghu left for Panskura, Midnapore, West Bengal in the truck loaded with the stolen Kendu leaves and Abdul Hasan Khan left for Midnapore by train. There they disposed off the Kendu Leaves to one Baasit, who deals in Kendu leaves, at Rs 5 lakhs. Thereafter, Dablam and Debraj distributed the share of money to all the other members of the group.
Professional detection of the case by MRampur Police has led to the arrest of 7 persons belonging to inter district Kendu.
In total the arrested accused persons are;Md Khurshid Ali @ Dablam (42), , Motijharan, PS- Dhanupali, Sambalpur,Debraj Kuanr, Vill- Saiduli, PS- Tarbha, Sonepur,Gobind Mallick (27), Vill- Dubla, PS- Tarbha, Sonepur,Gobind Meher @ Raghu (48), of Bareigali, PS- Ainthapali, Sambalpur,Md Abdul Hasan Khan @ Abul (48), , Motijharan, PS- Dhanupali, Sambalpur,Manoj Sandha (29), Vill- Badakadalipali, PS- Tarbha, Sonepur and Nepal Majhi, Vill- Majhipada, Bhatel, PS- Narla, Kalahandi and those managed to escape from police grip are;Tejaraj Kuanr, Vill- Naktikana, PS- Tarbha, Sonepur,Lakicharan Sahu, Vill- Badabahal, PS- Tusura, Bolangir,Milu Bhoi, Vill- Uder, PS- Kantamal, Boudh.
