Cuttack, June 18: Unidentified goons today allegedly looted Rs 20 lakh from employees of a transport company.

The incident took place around 11.30am when two employees of Agarwal Transport Company — Srimant Panda, 24, and Srihari Behera, 25, — were returning on their scooter after withdrawing cash from HDFC bank on Bajrakabati Road.

The motorcycle-borne goons snatched the bag containing the cash as the employees reached Haripur Road. The employees reportedly tried to resist the looters but they managed to escape. Though the incident took place in a busy area, there were no eyewitness to the crime. The police are relying entirely on the version of the employees.

“I was riding pillion when two goons came on a motorcycle and tried to snatch the bag, which I was carrying. Though I tried to resist, they overpowered me and decamped with the cash,” said Srihari Behera.

Both Behera and Panda were working for Ramchandra Agarwal, the owner of the transport company located at Mangalabag.

Agarwal had asked the employees to withdraw cash from the bank and hand it over to his brother Damodar Agarwal, who is also his business partner.

“Yesterday, I had asked my brother to lend me Rs 20 lakh as I had to make some payments. Today, he had given a cheque to the employees with the instruction to hand over the cash at our office in Haripur after withdrawing it from the bank,” said Damodar Agarwal, 41, co-owner of the transport company.

Damodar, who also runs a television spare parts shop on Haripur road, also said that both the employees were working for the last five years with his brother and had withdrawn and deposited cash in the same bank several times in the past.

“I was not present in my office when the incident occurred. According to the employees, the goons did not use guns or any other weapon,” said Damodar. The statement has cast a shroud of mystery on the incident.

“After getting the cheque, I, along with my colleague went to the bank to withdraw the money. Later, we went straight towards Haripur road to deliver the cash. However, two goons came and looted the money when I was about to drive in my scooter in front of a Scorpio car, which was parked a few meters from Mr Damodar Agarwal’s office,” said Srimant Panda, another employee.

Police suspect foul play in the loot as the incident has occurred without the use of force or weapons. Both the employees are being interrogated and further investigation is on.

“We have received an allegation that two goons looted Rs 20 lakh from the employees of a transport company in the morning. A case has been registered and further investigation is on,” said deputy commissioner of police Praveen Kumar.