Masked Gang Loots BJD Leader's Residence in Keonjhar District
In a brazen late-night robbery that has sent shockwaves through the community, a gang of approximately seven to eight armed robbers targeted the residence of Sangram Keshari Nayak, a prominent businessman and local leader of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), in Bayapandadhara village under the Keonjhar district of Odisha. The incident occurred on Sunday night, resulting in the theft of jewellery valued at approximately Rs 11 lakh and Rs 6.8 lakh in cash from the household.
Deceptive Entry and Violent Confrontation
The robbery unfolded as Sangram and his brother were closing their adjacent shop and preparing to enter their home. The perpetrators gained entry under false pretenses, claiming one of them was injured in an accident and urgently needed drinking water. Once inside, the homeowner grew suspicious and attempted to intervene, but the situation quickly escalated.
The robbers immediately brandished firearms, threatening the family members at gunpoint and firing a warning shot into the air to establish control. They proceeded to assault the children and women present in the house, demonstrating a complete disregard for the safety and well-being of the residents.
Systematic Looting and Containment
Before executing their planned theft, the gang methodically:
- Confiscated all mobile phones from family members to prevent immediate communication with authorities
- Forcibly locked the terrified family in a room to eliminate any potential resistance or witnesses during the robbery
- Proceeded to ransack the premises, collecting valuable jewellery and substantial cash reserves
Sangram later recounted, "Except for one of them, all others wore masks. They mostly spoke in Hindi while one spoke in Odia. We did not protest out of fear." This linguistic detail suggests the gang might have included both local and non-local elements, adding complexity to the investigation.
Escape and Investigation Challenges
After completing the robbery around 10:45 PM, the perpetrators secured the main gate behind them and discarded the stolen mobile phones in an open area before fleeing the scene. The family remained trapped for approximately 20 to 30 minutes before managing to escape their confinement, retrieve their phones, and alert the authorities.
Police responded promptly to the distress call, but investigators face significant hurdles. Sangram revealed that the robbers had also stolen the hard disk from the CCTV surveillance system, effectively eliminating crucial video evidence that could have identified the culprits.
Amit Kumar Bhuyan, the Inspector-in-Charge of Sadar police station, acknowledged the investigative challenges, stating, "It is not exactly known how many persons came and from where they came from. Efforts are on to arrest them." The absence of concrete evidence about the gang's composition and origins has complicated the manhunt.
Pattern of Similar Crimes in the Region
This incident follows a strikingly similar robbery that occurred just hours earlier in the same region. On Saturday evening around 7:30 PM, another gang targeted the residence of the owner of Ghana Medical Center in Khireitangiri village under Turumunga police station jurisdiction. In that case, robbers made off with Rs 70,000 in cash along with valuable gold ornaments.
The proximity in timing and modus operandi between these two incidents raises concerns about organized criminal activity operating in the Keonjhar district area. Both robberies involved:
- Targeting relatively affluent households
- Executing crimes during evening hours
- Employing forceful methods to subdue residents
- Focusing on cash and jewellery as primary loot
Local authorities are now examining potential connections between these crimes while increasing security measures in vulnerable areas. The brazen nature of these attacks, particularly the targeting of a political figure's residence, has heightened concerns about law and order in the region.
