Bhubaneswar, Jan. 18: Robbers looted two truck drivers within an hour gap on the National Highway-5 last night. The drivers were asked to part with their cash and mobile phones.

The incidents, which took place on the city outskirts, have triggered panic among truck drivers. Sources in the police department said four such incidents have taken place on the Highway in the last one week.

Police said that in the first incident, which took place around 11pm at Pittapali square, a truck driver, Yakun Sarbak from Andhra Pradesh , was robbed of Rs 10,000 and his mobile phone by the goons who threatened him with a dagger. The second incident took place half an hour later when another Andhra Pradesh driver, M. Pashiya was relieved of his mobile phone and cash worth Rs 3,000 on the highway near Tamando.

The drivers told the police that the robbers had followed them in a Tata Sumo. “The robbers stopped the trucks in a deserted area and robbed the drivers after threatening the drivers with sharp weapons,” said a police officer.

Earlier on January 13, goons, who came in a Tata Sumo, and stopped his truck also looted a truck driver on the Baramunda over bridge. As the driver Roshan Jameer from Andhra Pradesh resisted them they first pointed a gun at him and then attacked him with a dagger. He sustained injuries on his left hand and the robbers escaped after snatched Rs 13,000 from him.

According to police the robbers have been following the trucks coming from the Cuttack side and intercept them at lonely stretches. The drivers are threatened with sharp weapons or at gunpoint. Those who resist are attacked.

“The vehicles are stopped when there is no police patrolling party around,” said a police officer. Deputy commissioner of police Himanshu Lal said efforts were on to nab the culprits.