Sundargarh: Armed robbers allegedly decamped with around Rs 3 lakh in cash from a private transport company near the main junction in the Koida area of Odisha’s Sundargarh district late on Wednesday.
According to sources, eight masked men barged in the moment a driver returned to the office, brandishing firearms and sharp weapons, giving the staff no time to respond. They then broke open a table drawer and took the money kept inside. The gang also vandalised office equipment, disconnected the CCTV wiring, and took the hard disk containing recordings before fleeing the scene.
“They threatened us and asked everyone to hand over their mobile phones and any cash on hand. They specifically hunted for computer hard driv
es, removed them, smashed the equipment, and then fled with the money. Some carried firearms, others had knives. One was holding a bag to collect the loot, while another kept watch outside the gate. They made off with close to Rs 3 lakh. It was clearly a well-planned operation,” an employee said.
Sources further stated that a patrol team tried to intercept a speeding vehicle suspected to be carrying the robbers. The fleeing vehicle reportedly rammed into the patrol vehicle, fatally injuring the driver, who later succumbed to his injuries.
Meanwhile, two teams, including officers from Koida police station, reached the spot and launched an investigation. Footage from a CCTV camera in which the entire loot was captured is also being examined.
Koida, being a major mining hub, sees transport offices operating late at night and handling large amounts of cash for advance payments to truck drivers, making them soft targets.
The robbery came almost a month after five masked men reportedly looted gold ornaments worth over Rs 75 lakh and Rs 25 lakh in cash from the house of a businesswoman in Bonai area of the district.