Rayagada: In a significant breakthrough linked to a series of armed robberies, Balangir Police recovered over 5 kg of gold and silver ornaments after detaining two suspects for questioning, in Odisha’s Rayagada district.
The operation follows the alleged heist of nearly ₹1 crore in gold jewellery and cash from the residence of local jeweller Phulchand Jain, near Sindhekela police station in Balangir on August 23. Taking advantage of the absence of the jewller and his wife, who were away in Raipur for medical treatment, armed assailants broke into the home, tied up and held his mother at gunpoint and fled with the valuables alongside the CCTV hard drive. The same gang is also suspected of robbing a local temple, an incident that sparked public outrage and led tribal associations to demand immediate action.
Acting on directions from Balangir SP Abhilash G, a special task force was formed and, using intelligence and technical leads, traced the suspects to Kharajoda village under Kalyansinghpur police limits and Panasaguda village under Kashipur police limits in Rayagada. Two residents of Kharajoda were detained earlier, and house searches followed their interrogation, during which police seized gold and silver articles, though the exact weight and value have not been officially confirmed.
While efforts are underway to apprehend other members of the gang, police are also examining whether the recovered items match those stolen in the Sindhekela jewellery robbery and temple theft. It is being suspected that an inter-state or multi-district robbery network is operating across the region.