Berhampur, Sept. 3: A builder was drugged and had his belongings, including his car, stolen at Panthanivas in Gopalpur.

Yesterday, Nakina Nanda Gopal, along with his driver Lingaraj Sahu, was tricked into eating drug-laced rasgullas at Panthanivas. The goons, who had offered them the sweets, made off with cash, gold and Gopal's new Verna car. Both the victims were admitted to MKCG Hospital in an unconscious condition and are still battling hangover.

The criminals have taken away gold ornaments, including a bracelet, chain, a gold-studded string of rudrakshya beads as well as Rs 10,000 in cash and his car, police said.

Family sources said Gopal, who runs Partha Sarathi Builders with its office at Gandhi Nagar, had gone to Gopalpur in his car for a business deal last evening.

"We called him at 8pm, but his mobile phone was switched off. Then we immediately contacted his driver, who said they were at Panthanivas and that Gopal was busy. But when we rang him up again at 9pm, we found both of their mobile phones switched off. Later, we contacted some of our relatives," said a family member.

"My son, who stays in Bangalore, informed us about the incident," said Gopal's wife.

Gopal rang up his son after he regained consciousness at 5.30am today. The criminals had switched off his mobile phone. His family members immediately rushed to Gopalpur and admitted them to MKCG today, sources said.

One of Gopal's family members said two persons approached him for taking an office space on rent on the second floor of the Gandhi Nagar apartment owned by him. They identified themselves as employees of a Delhi-based company and also paid a visit to a piece of land, which was owned by Gopal, with an apparent intention of purchasing it. Then they requested Gopal to come to Gopalpur to discuss the issue with their "managing director" who, he said, was boarding at Panthanivas.

Berhampur Builders' Association president Uma Shankar Panigrahi has expressed concern over the incident.

"Nakina Nanda Gopal is a man of high moral character. He was a partner at Nandighosh Apartments and has built four apartments at Prem Nagar independently," he said.