A man impersonating a police constable was arrested by Berhampur Sadar Police on Monday after he was caught checking vehicles and demanding money from motorists at Padaravalli Chhak along State Highway-17.
The accused has been identified as Manoj Swain of Narayanpur village. Police said he attempted to flee upon spotting real officers arriving at the scene, but he was quickly apprehended.
According to officials, Manoj was wearing a police uniform and conducting unauthorized vehicle checks while extorting money from drivers. Suspicious of his behaviour, local residents informed the police, who immediately dispatched a team to the location.
During the search, officers seized a toy gun, a police uniform, and other items that Manoj allegedly used to impersonate an on-duty constable. Investigations revealed that he had also rented a house in Lathi, falsely claiming to be a police constable to the landlord and residents.
Manoj was taken into custody and produced before the court. Police are verifying whether he has previous involvement in similar offences.
