The Commissionerate Police which has been channelising its resources in publicising the interrogation and investigation in the Artha Tatwa (AT) Group case in full media glare has cut a sorry figure, thanks to the audacious dacoity at the City Chandan Jewellers on Wednesday.
When the dacoity took place, the police had just about wrapped up quizzing of Odisha Cricket Association secretary Ashirbad Behera and proprietor of an Odia daily, Madhu Mohanty who had turned up at Kharvelnagar police station in the evening. The police had no clue that the five dacoits would spring a rude surprise only a few hundred metres away.
While several officers of the police station were out of station, the rest were ill-equipped to respond to the situation. While the public nabbed one of the dacoits, police made blockings at different parts of the City but to no avail.
Twentyfour hours after the audacious dacoity, Commissionerate Police gropes in dark with no breakthrough coming its way.
Jitu Panda, captured by the public, gave certain leads about his associates but those were not adequate. Police are desperately trying to ascertain the group which was behind the crime so that they can work on its modus operandi and track down the members.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the gang members primarily were from Berhampur. However, Jitu was apparently from Balasore. He had suffered injuries after being thrashed by the public and was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. But police brought him to Bhubaneswar so that they can quiz him and elicit information about the incident as well as the fellow dacoits. The police are also looking into the role of insiders in the incident since the timing of the dacoity raised suspicion.
Earlier in the day, a scientific team was pressed at the crime scene. A sharp weapon which was left behind by the miscreants was seized from inside the store.
