Highway robbery masterminds arrested

Vizianagaram: Vizianagaram police arrested two accused, including an advocate, in connection with the highway robbery case in May 2023 and recovered over Rs17.35 lakh cash and gold worth of Rs5 lakhs.

The arrested duo is identified as Rurdrapankthi Madhu (prime accused) of Parlakhemundi in Odisha and Darapu Gopalakrishna, an advocate.

It may be recalled that on May 31, 2013, a bike-borne armed dacoit gang robbed a ricetrader K Vamsikrishna, a native of Parlakhemundi, of Rs50 lakh after intercepting his car and sprinkling chilli powder on his face on NH-16 under Pusapatirega police station limits in Vizianagaram district.

The incident took place when Vamsikrishna along with his driver Jayaram were returning to Parlakhemundi from Vizag city. The police later nabbed six persons, including the driver Jayaram in connection with the case and recovered Rs5.7 lakh from them long back.

On Thursday, SP Vakul Jindal said that RMadhu and advocate Gopalakrishna were the masterminds behind the highway dacoity. Of the looted Rs50 lakh, Madhu and Gopalakrishna took Rs20 lakh each and the duo gave Rs10 lakh to the remaining six persons.

After relentless efforts, DSP R Govinda Rao and the CCS personnel A Satyanarayana (Inspector), B Bhagyam (sub-inspector), A Gowri Shankar (ASI) and constables M Ramakrishna Rao and D Srinivasa Rao managed to nab the key accused and recovered gold and cash.