Aparna Bose, 72, whose Salt Lake home was raided by a gang of five dacoits early on Wednesday. Bose lives alone, with a maid in the house. Picture by Bishwarup Dutta

Five armed robbers broke into a Salt Lake house early on Wednesday and took away cash after gagging and trussing up an elderly widow and her maid.

“The men cut through the grille of a window at the rear of the house and entered the bedroom. The sound woke me up but before I could spot them in the dim light, they overpowered me and Sabita,” said 72-year-old Aparna Bose, who has been living with her maid in the single-storeyed AH 325.

Her daughters Sushmita and Sujata are married and live in Mumbai and the US.

“I was asleep on the floor next to mashi’s bed. A man reached inside my mosquito net and gagged me. The dacoits were carrying revolvers and daggers,” recounted Sabita.

The men then tied up the women. “Before stuffing clothes into my mouth, the men demanded the key to my safe. I pointed to the desk where I keep the key and they took it themselves,” said Aparna.

Three of the men opened the safe and even an almirah in the terrace room. “Since I do not keep much cash and jewellery in the house for security reasons, they got only Rs 1,800. One of the men removed the gag to inquire if I was hiding anything. I told them their effort was wasted,” said Aparna.

After spending half an hour in the house, the gang left around 3am through the main door, locking it from outside.

“Some neighbours who regularly visit my aunt became suspicious when they saw the house locked on Wednesday morning. They peeped inside and found furniture strewn everywhere. They called the police, who arrived around 8am and broke open the door,” said Aparna’s nephew Prasanta Dutta.

Dacoits had broken into a house in Sarat Abasan, near AH 325, in July last year and taken away lakhs. “I don’t know how I will stay alone now,” said a shaken Aparna.

The police claimed they had obtained leads about the five robbers. “It seems to be a new gang. We will nab the men soon,” said North 24-Parganas police superintendent Supratim Sarkar.