--Rs 30-cr jewelleries looted; customers, staffs, guards attacked by gun-wielding miscreants
In a shocking broad daylight heist, as many as seven miscreants looted ornaments worth crores of rupees from a well-known jewellery showroom in Vyasanagar town in Jajpur district here on Monday.
The accused also reportedly attacked the showroom staff, some customers and even the security staff while threatening them during the robbery. Two employees were injured in the attack by the miscreants.
The miscreants snatched the weapons of the showroom guards and later held the staff and other customers present at the spot hostage. The dacoity took place between 1:30 pm and 2 pm.
They entered the showroom posing as customers. Sources said they first threatened and handcuffed the employees. They also attacked two customers and seized their mobile phones. When the security guards tried to intervene, the miscreants beat them up and seized their guns. The gang then looted nearly 17 kg gold and diamond jewellery while leaving behind some silver ornaments. They then fled the spot.
While the exact amount of loss incurred by the shop is yet to be ascertained, it is believed that the stolen jewellery is worth around Rs 12 crore. Official sources said some female staff who were injured in the attack have been hospitalised.
Meanwhile, police reached the spot and started an investigation. All CCTV footage were being scanned and the probe was underway. When some staff tried to resist the miscreants, they were assaulted. Senior officials, including Jajpur SP Binit Agrwal, were at the spot. The robbers were stated to have taken away some mobile phones and the hard disk of the CCTV cameras.