Rourkela: In a peculiar incident in Odisha’s Rourkela, two alleged burglars broke into a house at Basanti Colony on the night of April 29, only to find themselves locked inside by quick-thinking residents. Desperate to avoid a potential public beating, the duo dialled the emergency police helpline, seeking help from the very authorities they had evaded.
According to police, the accused, identified as Simbrumb alias Nanak Singh (30) from Plantsite and Satyendra Kumar Singh (32) from Chhend, forced open the gate lock of a two-storey house. They entered the ground floor, occupied by tenant Madhav Kisan, while both the tenant and landlord Ganesh Biswal were away. The duo allegedly bro
ke open an almirah and collected the gold and silver ornaments.
An elderly neighbour, who was watching television, noticed suspicious sounds and promptly alerted others. Residents swiftly gathered, secured the main gate and rooftop access points, and effectively trapped the intruders. Police were also informed of the break-in.
Realising they were cornered and fearing retaliation from the agitated locals, the two men contacted the 112 helpline as well as their family members for help. Police arrived around 2:30 am and safely extracted the suspects amid attempts by some residents to assault them. The accused were then taken to Uditnagar police station.
The following morning, on April 30, the tenant filed an complaint. During interrogation, the duo reportedly confessed to the theft but claimed they had left the stolen items inside the house out of panic. Police recovered the jewellery and returned it to the complainant.
Uditnagar IIC J K Sahu confirmed that both accused have been arrested and forwarded to court. They reportedly face previous criminal cases as well.