KUMUD JENAMANI
Jamshedpur, Nov 16: Armed criminals committed dacoity and burglary at two houses in a residential area in Seraikela in the adjoining Seraikela-Kharsawan district, about 35 kms away from here in the wee hours on Tuesday.
While the criminals committed dacoity at the house of Dr Pradeep Pati in Hesaudi locality of the township, another house which was under lock and key belonging to Avantikanath Hota was found burgled at the same locality.
The dacoits, about eight in the number entered the house of Dr Pradeep by breaking open the front door of the house at around 1.30 am today. At the time, the doctor who is posted at the Seraikela Sadar Hospital was in deep slumber in an interior room of the house, but his son, Dr Saurabh Pati, was sleeping in the front room.
According to members of the victims’ family, the criminals had first swooped over Saurabh by training a pistol at his head.
“Following a commotion, Dr Pradeep and his daughter rushed to the front room. Before we could think of what to do the criminals caught hold of the girl and unleashed her gold earrings forcibly. They also snatched two smartphones from Dr Pradeep and his son respectively, ” said a family member.
The victim said as criminals were in action, Dr Pradeep tried to resist them, but one of the dacoits hit him in the face with a hard substance, causing him to sustain injury. The criminals had subsequently fled the house.
The house of Avantikanath was found burgled on Tuesday morning only.
According to sources, Avantikanath’s son Shuvendu Hota is posted at the Prime Minister Office in New Delhi. Both Avantikanath and wife Pushpa had gone over to their son’s place in the sequel to medical treatment there in New Delhi.
Sources said the criminals had broken open as many as five almirahs at Avantikanath’s house, but it could not be ascertained the extent of valuables burgled from the house.
OC, Seraikela thana, Manohar Kumar confirmed about the dacoity and the burglary at Hesaudi locality in Seraikela in the wee hours.
“A team of police officials had rushed to Dr Pradeep’s house on getting an information at about 2.30 am today. We have recovered the two smartphones outside the victims’ house. They must have snatched the smartphones so as to prevent the victims from informing the police, ” said Kumar. He also confirmed about the senior doctor to have sustained injury during the dacoity.
About the burglary committed at Avantikanath’s house, the OC said a telephonic talk has been made over the victim’s son Shuvendu, adding that the extent of valuables burgled after a formal FIR is registered only.
