Operation “White Metal”: MBA student, Jeweller among 4 held in Rs 79 lakh highway robbery in Puri

Puri: In a major breakthrough, Puri Police have cracked the high-profile highway robbery case reported on November 20, recovering gold, silver, cash and weapons worth nearly Rs 78,96,000. 

The case, registered at the Chandanpur Police Station, has been titled Operation “White Metal.” An MBA student and a Jeweller among four accused persons arrested in connection with the highway robbery case. 

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Robbery on NH-316 near Samjajpur Over-Bridge

The incident took place around 9:45 PM on November 20, 2025, when a vehicle transporting cash, gold and silver from Radha Krushna Jewellery was intercepted on NH-316, near the Samjajpur Railway Over-Bridge in Chandanpur, Puri.
Armed assailants, including one carrying a pistol, robbed the valuables and fled the spot.

The complaint was filed by Sanjay Kumar Das (42), proprietor of Radha Krushna Jewellery and a resident of Dologobindapur, Chandanpur.

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Special investigation wings formed

Soon after receiving the report, the Superintendent of Police, Puri, constituted two Special Investigation Wings (SIWs) to track the culprits.

Raids were conducted across multiple districts and suspected hideouts, leading to the arrest of the four accused on December 1 and 2.

Accused: Jeweller, Hotel Staff and Two Associates Arrested

Police identified and arrested the following individuals:

• Tukula @ Tuku Nayak (45) – Owner, Nilakantha Jewellery, Bira Narasinghpur, alleged mastermind
• Bapi @ Prasant Pradhan (41) – Hotel staff at Puri Bay Premium, who reportedly coordinated logistics
• M. Goutham (24) – Resident of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
• Subhrajit Mohanty (22) – MBA student at Srusti Academy of Management, Bhubaneswar

Investigators revealed that Tukula Nayak, an acquaintance of the complainant, hatched the plan and roped in Bapi Pradhan, who recruited three criminals from Andhra Pradesh to execute the robbery.

Major recovery of looted property

During the raids, police seized a large quantity of stolen items and tools used in the crime, including:

• 8 gold necklaces (132 g)
• 31 kg of silver ornaments
• Rs 6 lakh cash
• White Skoda car (Reg. AP-05CY-8656)
• TVS Sports motorcycle (Reg. OR-05-AL-3951)
• Six mobile phones
• One pistol with two live rounds

The total value of recovered property is Rs 78,96,000.

Confession and ongoing investigation

Police said the arrested individuals have confessed to their involvement. Evidence suggests they used the Skoda car and motorcycle for both the robbery and their escape.

Authorities are now probing deeper to identify additional conspirators or receivers of the stolen property.

Police assert zero tolerance for organized crime

Operation “White Metal” highlights the swift and coordinated response of Puri Police in tackling organized robbery and recovering high-value assets.

Officials have urged the public to remain vigilant and share any information that may assist ongoing investigations.