Armed burglars broke into the house of the senior Congress leader and former Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik and decamped with gold and cash worth ₹50 lakh.

The incident occurred around 2.30am on Sunday, just a few hours before Republic Day, when security was tight and the commissionerate police were alert. Night patrolling had also been intensified. Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a police probe into the burglary.

Niranjan said: “Burglars entered the house and decamped with jewellery and cash. I was alone in the house. The thieves broke into the second floor where there was no one present at the time. When my son and daughter-in-law returned, they found everything was looted.”

While Patnaik lives on the first floor, his son and daughter-in-law stay on the second floor at his IRC village house in Nayapalli. The son’s family had gone outside for a picnic and when they returned in the wee hours, they found the door was locked from inside. When they opened the door, they found everything was looted. The robber had escaped from the house using the window and the water pipe. Police suspect more than one person was involved in the incident.

Taking to social media, Patnaik said: “This is not just about me- it is about the people of Bhubaneswar, who are left vulnerable due to the government’s failure to uphold order; it is time we question why our streets, homes and lives are no longer secure. My appeal to Odisha police to set up to ensure the safety of our people. This must be the BJP government’s top priority.”

Chief minister Majhi on Sunday called the former OPCC president and assured him that a thorough probe would be held to identify the accused involved in the looting of his house. “I have asked the DGP and the police commissioner to investigate and crack the case. All those involved in the case would soon be arrested,” the chief minister said.

Majhi’s reaction came after the Opposition cornered the government on the issue and raised the issue of the state’s deteriorating law and order situation.