Seven mine mafias held in Orissa

KEONJHAR(ORISSA): Seven mine mafias, including four from Jharkhand, were arrested in Orissa's Keonjhar district today for illegally transporting iron-ore and manganese to the adjacent state, police said.

On a tip off, a joint police team conducted raid at Kandara chowk under Joda police station area and arrested them.

Seven vehicles, including five iron ore and manganese laden dumpers bound for Jayantigarh area in Jharkhand from Khandabandh and Bansapani mines in the district, a jeep and a car used by them were seized, police said.

The arrested has been identified as Umesh Pradhan, Dinesh Pradhan, Ranjit Nayak, Milan Purty, Mahesh Nayak, Ranjit Pradhan and Raghunath Pradhan.