Bhubaneswar, March 13: Goons assaulted a group of seven businessmen at Manibandha in Khurda, 50km from here, and robbed cash worth Rs 10.7 lakh around 5am today.

Arbar Ali Tarafdar, one of the businessmen, alleged that around 10 criminals came in an SUV and intercepted their car. "They stopped us and threatened us with sharp-edged weapons and pistols. They also sprayed chilli powder on us. Then they assaulted us and decamped with the money," alleged Tarafdar.

Police said that all the businessmen were in their 40's. They were going to a nearby area to purchase a patch of land. "A few of them have suffered minor injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. They have registered a complaint with us," said an officer of Begunia police station.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the SUV used by the goons was a stolen one. "The vehicle was lifted from Bhubaneswar on March 11. A case in this regard was registered in Nayapalli police station. So, we suspect involvement of a gang active in the city," said a police official.

"It seems that the goons were well aware of the whereabouts of the businessmen," said another police officer.

Khurda police superintendent Dilip Das said: "We suspect the involvement of an organised gang behind the incident. We have also asked other police stations in the district to conduct blockings," said Das.

Murder arrest

Sambalpur Town police today arrested another accused in the murder of an elderly woman at Kalyan Nagar in Ainthapali police station area. The accused, Sudheer Mohapatra, 24, was held from Jada village in Bargarh district.

On March 5, the police had arrested the main accused in the case, who happened to be the nephew of the deceased's husband.

Pankajini Acharya, 66, was found murdered in her house at Kalyan Nagar on March 3. The matter came to light when her husband Bipin, a retired government employee and a poet, returned home from evening walk at 9pm and found Pankajini lying in a profusely bleeding condition in the bedroom. He informed the police about the incident.

The police then arrested the son of Acharya's sister, Srilal alias Sriram Panda, 26, on March 5. During investigation, Sriram confessed to committing the crime. He also revealed that he and his friend Sudheer Mohapatra had conspired to kill his maternal aunt and loot the house.

"We have seized Rs 19,000 and two earrings from Sudheer. He has confessed to his involvement in the crime," said S. Barik, inspector in charge of Ainthapali police station. The cops have also seized the weapon used in the crime.

Additional inputs by Subrat Mohanty in Sambalpur