Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police has arrested two persons, including a software engineer alleged to be the mastermind, in connection with an attempted robbery at a jewellery shop in Bhubaneswar on October 28. Another suspect is still absconding.
The arrested software engineer, identified as Premananda Samal, allegedly masterminded the robbery after the gang suffered heavy financial losses in online gaming. Police suspect that the accused had hired criminals from outside Odisha to execute the planned heist.
According to police, the gang had targeted a jewellery shop in the Chandrasekharpur area. Three masked men, wearing helmets and raincoats, allegedly stormed into the shop around 11 am and attempted to terrorise those present by displaying firearms and a sharp weapon.
The miscreants reportedly attempted to carry out the robbery using a fake pistol. However, their plan fell apart as the shop owner was away and all gold ornaments had been secured inside a locker. The accused fled without looting anything.
The attempted robbery was captured on the shop’s CCTV cameras. Acting on the footage, Chandrasekharpur police launched an investigation and identified the suspects, leading to the arrest of two persons.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the gang had planned to take advantage of disruptions caused by cyclone Arnab to execute the robbery. Police are continuing their investigation to identify the absconding accused and establish the involvement of other persons and the wider criminal network.
