Sundargarh: Four masked men allegedly robbed a widow and her daughter of gold and cash worth around Rs 38 lakh in a late-night heist in the Bonai area of Odisha’s Sundargarh district.
The incident took place at Rashmi Electric Shop near Hatpada under Bonai police limits, about 70 km from Rourkela.
According to sources, five men, armed with guns, assaulted the house-help, who was staying in a room outside the house. They then instructed him to call the house owner at gunpoint, pretending to be ill. The robbers barged into house as the 50-year-old woman opened the door to hand over medicine to the house help, overpowered her and her 25-year-old daughter, and tied them up along with the domestic help, before decamping with about 150 grams of gold ornaments and Rs 20 lakh in cash.
The victims were held hostage inside the house for nearly three hours with none in the locality aware of the crime.
“We received a call from our house help at around 12.32 am seeking medicine for a stomach ache. When I opened the door to hand him over some medicines, the miscreants forcibly entered the house. One of them pushed me to the ground while two others tied up my daughter. I panicked and handed them all cash and jewellery,” said the house owner.
Meanwhile, Bonai Police have launched an investigation on the basis of a complaint by the house owner this morning. The male house-help has also been detained for questioning, as his statements have reportedly been inconsistent.
Police have confirmed involvement of four individuals armed with toy guns and a sharp weapon in the loot incident and efforts are underway to identify and trace the culprits.
