Bhubaneswar, April 5: Unidentified goons burgled the regional transport office (RTO) at Acharya Vihar Square, a stone’s throw from Saheed Nagar police station last night and stole cash worth Rs 23 lakh.
Saheed Nagar police have detained five persons.
The police said the security guard deployed at the office informed them about the burglary around 11pm. The guard found the lock of the back gate broken. Suspecting foul play, he informed the local police.
Regional transport officer Lalmohan Sethi rushed to the spot around midnight. He said the burglary might have occurred between 9.15pm and 10pm when security personnel changed guard.
“We had outsourced the tax and fee collection and deposition of cash in banks to a private company, Smart Chips Limited. However, some of their workers yesterday had exited through the back door. We suspect the role of someone well-known in the incident,” said Sethi.
He said a security guard had left the office around 9.15pm, while the next one came to work around 10pm.
“But the area never gets deserted during that time. It’s a well-planned crime with the involvement of someone, who knows the office,” said an official.
The private company yesterday collected Rs 23,19,357 from people. It was supposed to deposit the cash in a joint account in the name of the RTO and the private agency.
The police verified the spot this morning and collected fingerprints and other evidence. They detained the security guards and the night watchman deployed by the RTO and the private agency’s supervisor for interrogation.
Soumendra Kumar Senapati, team lead operator of the private agency said the cashier and the supervisor had left the office around 8.40pm after keeping the cash in an iron safe.
“As the front gate was closed, they left the office through back door. We were informed about the burglary around 11pm and rushed to the spot,” said Senapati.
The officials said the agency deployed five security guards at the office, who executed their duty in shifts.
There were closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the office, but they were not functioning for the past one-and-a-half years.
Transport commissioner Surendra Kumar, who visited the office, said as the cash was in the possession of the private agency and they would pay the money to the government. The Smart Chips Limited officials lodged a complaint with Saheed Nagar police about the burglary.