Bhubaneswar: Five security guards were arrested in Angul district for allegedly shooting dead two persons who attempted theft at a stockyard, police said on Thursday. The incident took place at Lingarakata near Pipeline Road in the Talcher police station area early on Wednesday.

A group of 12-13 persons allegedly attempted theft at the stockyard where electric tower materials were kept. On spotting them, one of the security guards deployed at the site opened fire from a 12-bore double-barrel gun, killing two on the spot, police said.

The deceased were identified as Dibyaranjan Parida (17) and Janardan Naik (20), they said.

Those arrested were identified as Ganeswar Sahoo (45), Abhimanyu Sahoo (35), Parshuram Parida (50), Kishan Manjhi (25) and Anandi Manjhi (48).

“It is for the court to see under what circumstances they opened fire, which led to the killing of two persons.

They have been booked under BNS sections 103(1), which deals with murder, 238 (destruction of evidence) and 3(5), which is for common intention,” a police officer said.

The gun used in the murder, along with an empty cartridge, has been seized.