Armed robbers attack PRI members, decamp with Rs 2 lakh in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Nayagarh, Mar 14:

Armed miscreants today attacked three persons, including a Zilla Parishad member, and decamped with Rs 2 lakh they were carrying in Nayagarh district of Odisha.

The three men – identified as Mahendra Pradhan, Zilla Parishad member of Sarankul zone, Santosh Swain, GRS of Magarbandh Panchayat and Santosh Sarangi, Panchayat Executive Officer – were coming on a bike from Saradhapur Andhra Bank with money meant for distribution to beneficiaries of the Panchayat tomorrow when they were attacked and looted at a place between Saradhapur and Vinayakpur. 

Their motorcycle was stopped  by two bike borne armed criminals, who sprayed chilli powder on their eyes, bombed them and looted the Rs 2 lakhs kept in the bike dicky before fleeing the scene.

The Zilla Parishad member and GRS injured in the incident were first admitted to Magarbandh Hospital and then shifted to Nayagarh District headquarters Hospital. Their condition is said to be stable now.

“The men caught me first and fought with me. I threw the bike and caught hold of one of them. Both Santosh Swain and Santosh Sarangi were behind me. The looters bombed them and started a scuffle with them as well. One of them raised a sword at my head asking me not to move. Another man broke the dickey and took away the money,” said Mahendra Pradhan.

“They possibly went away in Odgaon direction. The incident happened at a lonely place and we were not able to gather support,” he added.

Nayagarh police have reached the spot have started investigating the matter. But the looters have remained untraceable till the time of filing this report.