Eight members of the dreaded interstate ‘Chande’ gang, including its leader Chanda Nayak alias Chande, were neutralised in two intense police encounters at Lahunipada and Chandiposh in Sundargarh district in the early hours of Sunday, effectively dismantling a criminal network responsible for multiple armed robberies across Odisha and Jharkhand.

The operation unfolded after police received specific intelligence about the gang’s movement following four recent heists targeting transport company offices in Koida and Lahunipada areas under Bonai sub-division; checkpoints were swiftly established, forcing the criminals riding in an SUV and two motorcycles to reverse course when they spotted a blockade.

At Lamsi near Rajamunda, gang member Paras Ram Singh opened fire on approaching officers around 4 am, prompting controlled retaliatory shooting that left him with a leg injury and led to his immediate arrest, while the remaining members fled the scene in panic. Minutes later at Kucheta in Chandiposh, the fleeing criminals again fired two rounds at another police team; officers returned measured fire, wounding gang leader Chanda Nayak and associate Rajesh Singh in their legs before apprehending them, bringing the total number of injured dacoits to three.

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Subsequent raids resulted in the arrest of five additional accomplices—Anethin Topno, Etua Naik, Suel Purty, Surajhuni Purty, and Sania Kerketta—along with the seizure of two country-made pistols, one revolver, eight live rounds, one SUV, two motorcycles, and Rs 76,150 in cash, while all eight confessed to the four armed robberies during interrogation, with verification of their wider criminal record across neighbouring districts and Jharkhand now underway.

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