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The petrol bunk whose manager Prashant Giri was robbed of Rs 3 lakh on Tuesday. Picture by Animesh Sengupta
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Four unidentified bike-borne criminals looted Rs 3.31 lakh from the manager of a petrol bunk on NH-33 in Galudih when the victim was on his way to a bank around 11am on Tuesday.
Prashant Giri (40), who runs a petrol pump in Galudih, was riding a motorcycle to a Bank of India branch 3km away when the incident took place near Ulda village, about 40km from Jamshedpur.
As he was riding through a lone stretch of the highway, the four bike-borne criminals intercepted him.
Police sources said one of the criminals who was riding pillion got down from a bike, took out a pistol from his waist pocket and asked Giri to hand over a bag that he was carrying. Sensing danger, the victim was left with no option but to give away the bag that contained cash. The criminals sped away towards Jamshedpur.
Soon after the incident, Giri informed the police, prompting a probe team led by assistant superintendent of police Kartik S. to start a manhunt on the highway.
The ASP later told The Telegraph the victim had given a sketchy idea about the profile of the four criminals, pointing out that they were dark complexioned and possibly in the age group of 25 to 30.
“After gathering information about the criminals, we have alerted policemen along NH-33, especially within Jamshedpur, and also raided suspected hideouts in Galudih, Bhilaipahadi and Jamshedpur,” said Kartik.
He said they had not found any clue to the whereabouts of the criminals so far.
The ASP said that as the victim used to come to the bank for depositing the sale proceeds of the petrol pump every day, the criminals might have followed his movements closely and hatched a plan to loot him.
When asked, the police officer added, “As Giri would regularly visit the bank with ample cash, the pump management might have availed of transit insurance, but we are yet to verify it. Besides, we are trying to investigate why the pump manager was carrying so much cash all alone in Galudih, which is a rebel hub.”
Galudih police have registered a case of loot against four unknown men based on an FIR lodged by Giri.
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