Bhubaneswar: Luck of the eight dacoits ran out after two of them lost their way in the darkness while carrying cash bags from the liquor factory to their getaway vehicle parked around 600 metres away, sources in Odisha police said.
Two of the dacoits, armed with pistols, confined 15 factory staff members at gunpoint and disposed of their mobile phones.Two aides maintained surveillance on Biju Expressway, while another pair was responsible for transferring cash in multiple bags from the liquor manufacturing factory to the vehicle. Two others remained in the vehicle.
“The designated two carriers made several trips ferrying the stolen cash. During their final journey, they became disoriented in the darkness. Unable to contact their associates as their switched off mobiles were kept in the vehicle, they were left stranded. The group agreed to keep their phones powered down to avoid leaving any electronic trail for the police,” a senior police officer told TOI.
When the two men failed to arrive with the remaining cash, their anxious accomplices left. The stranded duo concealed the money in a nearby jungle before making their way to Biju Expressway, looking for a lift.
Police, in the meantime, initiated a search following an alert from the factory. During their patrol, they found the two suspects seeking a lift on the deserted road at night. As they spoke in Hindi during questioning, suspicion arose, leading to further interrogation which revealed the entire crime plot.