Three road robbers looted four people at Bandobar Kanvoi area under Panki police station on Tuesday night, said sources and made good with the cash and cell phones .
The total cash looted by the assailants was stated to be around Rs20,650 and all in valid currency notes of the time.
The road robbers also looted four cell phones from the victims, police added.
Confirming this the officer in charge of Panki police station lalit Kumar said that this road robbery took place on Tuesday night around 7.45 pm to 8 pm when three people hiding in the road side bushes appeared with lathis in their hands and intercepted two bikes coming from two opposite directions and then started looting the four two on one bike and made good their escape with the cash and four cell phones.
Kumar said said Sanjeev and Om Prakash lost Rs8, 650 in cash, all in new notes, while the other two — Surender Singh and Yogesh Kumar lost Rs12,000 in new currency notes.
Police registered a case into the incident and started investigation.
SP Palamu Indrajeet Mahatha has directed Panki police to crack this case of road robbery as soon as possible. On Wednesday SP Indrajeet Mahatha reached Panki police station and held a meeting with the officials there. Panki is important as it is the nerve centre of extremism connecting this to Chatra.
Sources said cash crunch saw a lull on crime front here but now people have access to cash and the year is to end road crimes are feared most in Palamu. Festive time in Palamu is crime time said sources be it Holi, Dussehra or Christmas. As invalid notes are out and new ones have come the road robbers now take it for granted that their crime will yield crisp notes.