Ranchi, Sept. 29: Removal of internal security cordon from the Mecon Colony took its tollwhen a house was robbed at gunpoint early this morning.

Three armed men today decamped with Rs 10,000 in cash and jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh from the house of Mecon official Pramod Kumar at 3 am.

The city police said the dacoits had entered the house (no E-40) from the back side by scaling the boundary walls of the colony.

The robbers, who had planned the operation meticulously, first snapped the telephone wires so that the residents could not raise an alarm and inform the police. Holding the Kumar couple at gunpoint, the robbers also attacked the official’s wife when she resisted them.

The couple was later locked inside a room by the dacoits, who were also carrying daggers and swords. The robbers fled with the booty after a 30-minute operation.

Police suspect the involvement of local youths in the incident. “The spot is very close to the railway line passing through Dibdih. It is not easy to scale the walls without the help of local residents,” said a police official.

Senior superintendent of police M.V. Rao said the police have identified a youth and promised to arrest him by tomorrow. “Raid would be conducted throughout the night to trace the other two,” he added.

The incident has once again raised questions on the security measures adopted by the Mecon management. The area has been without security since July 25 when the Group IV securitymen left the area after a clash followed by death of three tribal youths during the July 24 bandh.

Residents refused to comment on the incident. They were tight-lipped fearing more such incidents in future. The Mecon security officer could not be contacted for comment.

The incident has ridiculed the claims of a major crackdown on the criminal gangs launched by the district police. Officials of the local Doranda police station were unaware of the incident even at 7 pm. The police station officials said they were aware that “something has happened”. But said they did not have the details of the incident.

Earlier, a doctor was assaulted by “unidentified” men outside Shyamli Colony on his way to the hospital. The assailants had even tried to stab him. The incident had sparked panic in the area.