ROURKELA: Three armed miscreants allegedly looted gold ornaments worth over Rs 51 lakh after assaulting an employee of a jewellery shop on Railway Colony road within Plant Site police limits here on Friday morning.
Police sources said Pradip Soni, an employee of PC Jewellers, suffered minor injuries in the attack. Early in the morning, Soni arrived at Rourkela railway station on a train from Kolkata with a bag of gold ornaments. Accompanied by an acquaintance, he was en route to his residence at Basanti Colony from the railway station on a two-wheeler. Near Kali temple, the unidentified miscreants waylaid them.
The miscreants stopped the duo’s two-wheeler and after assaulting Soni, decamped with the bag containing the gold ornaments. Proprietor of PC Jewellers Shambhu Sahu said following the incident, Soni contacted him over the phone. He immediately rushed to the spot and informed the police.
“Soni told me that three miscreants armed with sharp weapons and sticks inflicted cut injuries on him. After terrorising him, they escaped with the gold ornaments weighing 887 gram,” said Sahu.
Police said the miscreants only attacked Soni and he was discharged from hospital after preliminary treatment. It is believed that some insiders might be involved in the loot.
Deputy SP AK Pradhan said footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area is being scanned. Police are investigating the case from all angles. Efforts are underway to identify and nab the miscreants and recover the booty, he added.