Rapid action: Police recover Rs 3.5 crore cash looted from country liquor unit within 24 hours

In fact, the magnitude of the crime remained under wraps for a day as it was initially reported that a mere Rs 10 lakh was looted by the gang.
Kalahandi police seized a whopping Rs 3.51 crore robbed by a band of eight criminals from a country liquor manufacturing unit.
Kalahandi police seized a whopping Rs 3.51 crore robbed by a band of eight criminals from a country liquor manufacturing unit.(Photo | Express)
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BHUBANESWAR/BHAWANIPATNA: Kalahandi police seized a whopping Rs 3.51 crore robbed by a band of eight criminals from a country liquor manufacturing unit at Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district late on Thursday night, in what turned out to be one of the largest and swiftest cash recoveries of the recent times by the state police.

The out still (OS) liquor outlet at Dharamgarh where the heist took place, is one of the largest country liquor units in the area.

All the accused - Tahir Ansari, Hussain Khan, Jasim Khan, Shamim Ansari, Basudev Gope, Pintu alias Alim, Kameshwar Yadav and Anuj Kumar - were nabbed within 24 hours of the crime, DGP YB Khurania told mediapersons in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The eight were all natives of neighbouring Jharkhand.

Anuj, previously employed in the country liquor manufacturing unit, was fired from the job about six months back for his alleged involvement in financial irregularities. Police said it was he who reportedly planned the robbery and involved criminals like Jasim, Tahir and Shamim as well as the four others.

In fact, the magnitude of the crime remained under wraps for a day as it was initially reported that a mere Rs 10 lakh was looted by the gang. Only after the recovery, police opened up about the massive loot. Why so much cash was stashed in the OS liquor shop premises is still under investigation.

Interestingly, the criminals, in a hurry to flee with the fortune, left two of their accomplices behind who ended up encountering a patrol team and that’s how the case unravelled.

Investigation revealed the accused had carried out a two-day recce of the unit on January 14. They returned on Wednesday (January 29) in a car and stayed near Titilagarh railway station before arriving at Dharamgarh on Thursday evening at around 9 pm.

The looted cash and weapons being displayed by police at  Kalahandi on Saturday| Express
The looted cash and weapons being displayed by police at Kalahandi on Saturday| Express

Police sources said, the gang members parked their car by the highway, about 500 metre to 600 metre from the liquor manufacturing unit, and walked to the OS liquor shop premises where they terrorised the staff by brandishing guns and sharp weapons.

The eight then carried the cash-filled bags and reached a field, located between the liquor unit and the highway, where they split into groups. Some of them waited in the car to hoard the cash, a few others kept an eye on the road, while two others - Shamim and Kameshwar - ferried the stolen cash bags to the vehicle.

However, in the pitch darkness of the night, the two reportedly missed some bags and got nervous. In the meantime, the staff of the liquor manufacturing unit raised an alarm and anticipating trouble, the six others fled, leaving behind Shamim and Kameshwar, Kalahandi SP Abilash G told The New Indian Express.

The duo, compelled to reach the highway on foot, were asking for lift from vehicles when they came across a police patrolling vehicle. Without an inkling, they waved at the cops and their suspicious movement and inability to speak Odia led the police to take them into custody.

Interrogation revealed their involvement and teams of at least 11 police districts of Odisha and Jharkhand were formed to apprehend the remaining culprits. “As part of the investigation, technical surveillance was used and six others were nabbed from Jharkhand within 24 hours,” said the Kalahandi SP.

The anti-socials had criminal antecedents and some of them were even convicted by courts in Jharkhand. A gun, live ammunition and a car were seized from them. Police are also probing the source of money and why such a huge amount of cash was kept in the liquor manufacturing unit.

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