Mastermind behind Bhubaneswar carjacking arrested; vehicle recovered

Bhubaneswar, Sept 7: Police have recovered a car that was stolen on August 13 in Bhubaneswar and have arrested two suspects, including the ringleader, as of Friday.

The stolen vehicle, a Maruti Swift Dzire, was initially booked online by the culprits, who paid via PhonePe. The car was hijacked at knifepoint and driven to a forested area in Radhadeipur near Joranda, under the jurisdiction of Gondia police in Dhenkanal district. At the time of the incident, three passengers and the driver were in the car.

Authorities tracked the suspects using PhonePe transaction records and mobile call data, which led to the capture of Rajesh Kumar Nath, the mastermind, and his accomplice, Sumant Nath. A third suspect remains at large but is expected to be apprehended soon, according to police.

The arrested individuals will be presented in court today, as stated by Gondia police IIC Salila Kumar Pradhan. The recovered vehicle has been returned to its rightful owner.

During the carjacking, the perpetrators also took the driver's mobile phone and gold ring, which they later discarded in the Brahmani River.