In a brazen armed robbery, five masked youths broke into the house of Prakash Nayak and his wife Jhili Nayak in Talamunda village under Laikera police station limits late on Monday night and escaped with Rs 7 lakh in cash and 150 grams of gold ornaments after tying up the couple and threatening them with swords and guns.
The incident occurred around 1 AM while the couple was asleep. The dacoits smashed open the main door, entered the house, and immediately overpowered Prakash Nayak and Jhili Nayak. They tied their hands and legs, brandished swords and firearms to terrorise them, and demanded valuables.
The robbers ransacked the house, taking Rs 7 lakh cash kept inside, all the gold jewellery the couple was wearing, and additional gold ornaments stored in a Godrej almirah. The total gold haul amounted to 150 grams. During the attack, Prakash Nayak sustained sword injuries on both shoulders. The miscreants also crushed and destroyed the couple’s mobile phones before fleeing. The entire loot lasted barely 20 minutes.
Senior police officials, including Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police, the SDPO, the Laikera police station officer-in-charge, and a forensic scientific team, rushed to the spot immediately after the complaint and launched a detailed investigation. Fingerprints, footprints, and other clues are being collected from the crime scene.
