A youth sustained critical injuries after being chased and hacked by miscreants in a suspected loot attempt near the NH-60 Jamalpur bypass in Jaleswar late Sunday night.
The victim, Arun Rout of Banida village, was returning home from his hotel job when he was ambushed by unidentified assailants. According to eyewitnesses, the attackers chased him down and stabbed him multiple times before fleeing with his mobile phone, cash, and ornaments.
Locals discovered Arun bleeding profusely and rushed him to a nearby hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was later referred to the district headquarters hospital, where doctors confirmed multiple stab wounds but reported his condition as stable.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. While the motive appears to be robbery, authorities are also probing possible personal enmity. Residents expressed outrage over the rising criminal activity along the NH-60 corridor, which they claim is plagued by cross-border gangs operating between Odisha and West Bengal.
The incident has reignited calls for increased patrolling and surveillance in the region, especially along vulnerable highway stretches.
