Cash and valuables worth more than Rs 3 crore were on Saturday reported to have been looted from the residence of senior Congress leader Sanatan Mahakud at Namhira village in Keonjhar district.
According to an FIR filed at the Bamebari police station, about 30 dacoits armed with guns broke into Mahakud’s house at around 1 am on Saturday and locked six members of his family in a room at gunpoint. later, they ransacked the house and decamped with cash, ornaments and other valuables.
While some youths near Mahakud’s house were busy for decorations for the coming Ganesh Puja, four persons first reached there and started dancing with the music played on loudspeakers. Soon afterwards, 15 others joined them in the dance. At this time Mahakud’s neighbour Bulu Barik, who had just reached home, was suddenly attacked and tied down by the dacoits who were dancing there.
They pulled out their pistols and fired three rounds of bullet in the blank creating an atmosphere of fear. Mahakud’s son Pankaj was also attacked and wounded when he came out of his house to find out what was happening. About 30 dacoits who forcefully entered his house took the family members as hostage at gunpoint and looted the belongings, including mobile phones.
After locking the family members in a room, the dacoits escaped with the Scorpio jeep of Bulu Barik. The dacoits blasted a hand grenade before they left the spot. Sanatan Mahakud, who was absent from his residence during the incident, reached home in the morning and informed the police station. Although police investigation is on, no one has been arrested so far in this case.