In a significant breakthrough, Jharsuguda police have cracked the daring robbery case that occurred on November 19 at Binayak Puram, near the Manmohan School ground under the Town police station limits.
The police have arrested 10 individuals, including two minors, and recovered stolen items worth over Rs 1.25 crore, including gold and silver ornaments, weapons, and cash.
The mastermind behind the robbery has been identified as Ashok Panda (58), with his key accomplice Sanjay Singh (53). Other arrested persons include Akash and Radhakant Kanhar (32), Jagabandhu Behera (56), Kahna Charan Swain (25), Sanat alias Anand Ray (24), Jitu alias Jitendra Sahu (30), and Pinki alias Sushila Meher (30), along with the two minors. The arrests were announced by Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police (SP) Gundala Reddy Raghavendra during a press conference at the district office.
According to police details, the victim, Mukesh Buchwani, runs a pan masala wholesale shop. For the past five years, Ashok Panda had been purchasing pan masala from Mukesh on credit and selling it at his own shop. When outstanding dues piled up, Mukesh repeatedly demanded repayment, leading Ashok to become enraged. Ashok then lured Mukesh with promises of settling the debt through a land deal, but when Mukesh refused, Ashok plotted revenge.
Collaborating with Sanjay, Ashok had been planning the robbery at Mukesh’s house for the past two years. The gang attempted the heist more than 10 times during this period but failed each time. They even targeted Mukesh’s elder brother Sunil’s pan masala shop near the old bus stand but were unsuccessful there as well. Finally, on November 19, they executed the plan successfully.
As per the police account, Sanjay, Jagabandhu, and the two minors entered the house armed with deadly weapons. Akash stationed himself at the Manmohan School ground to monitor the surroundings and communicated with the intruders via a small phone. The robbers tied up Mukesh and his family members for over three hours, looting large amounts of cash, gold, and silver ornaments.
Following Mukesh’s written complaint, the police launched an investigation. A dog squad, scientific team, and the SP visited the crime scene, collecting fingerprints and seizing an abandoned gun left by the robbers. CCTV footage was reviewed to track the gang’s movements, but the robbers avoided cameras by taking routes through Kisanpada and Gaurpada before regrouping at Beherapali. From there, mastermind Ashok and others fled with the loot in a car.
With no leads from CCTV, the police conducted phone dumping and discovered the use of two fake (pre-activated) SIM cards. Tracing these led to the arrest of Kahna from Jagatsinghpur and Sushila Meher from Belpada in Balangir. Interrogation of Kahna revealed crucial details, prompting a raid in Beherapali where two knives were recovered. Subsequently, Akash, who worked at a garage in Jharsuguda and was Kahna’s associate, was arrested.
This chain of arrests led to the capture of the main accused, including Ashok Panda, Sanjay, Jagabandhu, Sanat, Jitu, and the two minors. From them, the police seized items used in the robbery, including a Hyundai i20 car, another car, three guns, 12 live bullets, approximately 521 grams of gold ornaments worth around Rs 67 lakh, 14.32 kg of silver ornaments worth Rs 25 lakh, and Rs 37.27 lakh in cash. Additional recoveries included two crowbars, one bike, an iPhone, a TV, a fridge, a home theatre system, and 12 mobile phones.
The SP highlighted that this operation demonstrates the police’s commitment to curbing organised crime in the district.
