Gangtok, March 1: Burglars broke into the office of state Congress president Nar Bahadur Bhandari at Congress Bhavan in Development Area here and fled with important documents and other items which are yet to be taken count of.

The police were informed of the break-in this morning when the staff at Congress Bhavan found the lock broken and the room ransacked. Investigations have begun even as Bhandari is away in Delhi since Saturday for official work at the All India Congress Committee office there.

The criminals made away with important documents after breaking open steel almirahs with the help of a crowbar that was lying inside the office. Bhandari’s desk was not spared either. All the locks were broken and drawers rummaged. Another wooden box and two steel almirahs were also broken open. One almirah was ransacked after being laid on the floor.

Officer-in-charge of Sadar police station P. M. Rai started investigations today. Sniffer dogs and fingerprint experts have been pressed into service for the investigations.

Heavy rains that had lashed Gangtok in the night, flooded the terrace making it difficult for the sniffer dogs to examine the buildings adjacent to bhavan.

Rai said a case had been registered and investigations were still on. He also said the burglars probably used an entry point on the roof since the main gate of the bhavan was found intact and locked in the morning.

Bhandari’s office is located on the second floor of the bhavan. Another office used as a conference room for the youth wing was also broken into and the criminals had tried to break the steel almirahs there.

Bewildered party workers said they could not specify what had gone missing and it was possible only after Bhandari returned to Sikkim.

Speaking to The Telegraph over phone from Delhi, Bhandari said the burglary should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. He held the ruling SDF responsible for the act.

“I have no doubt that this is the handiwork of the government in power, since no one else can dare to enter my office. The act should be viewed seriously because a day after the model code of conduct took effect, the office of the state president of a national party has been ransacked,” said Bhandari.

The Congress leader also said he had been informed that important documents, including political and historical records of the last 20 years, were missing.