Parjang: Three bike-borne miscreants looted Monday Rs 15 lakh from the store manager of a trading firm just outside the Odisha Gramya Bank branch at Lodhani village under Parjang police limits in Dhenkanal district. They attacked Jayant Kumar Acharya with sharp weapons before snatching the bag containing the amount and fleeing the spot. Jayant was on his way to the bank to deposit the money when he was attacked. He had just got down from the office vehicle when the miscreants waylaid him. He was coming from the Bhalumundabased godown belonging to trader Khirod Kumar Sahu. A critically injured Jayant was first admitted to the Parjang community health centre and later shifted to the Angul district headquarters hospital.
Eyewitnesses said that Jayant refused to part with the bag despite being attacked by the ruffians. Then one of the miscreants assaulted Jayant with a sharp weapon injuring the latter severely. The miscreants then snatched the bag and fled the spot on a two-wheeler, with one of them brandishing a revolver to keep the crowd away. On being informed, Kamakhyanagar SDPO Ranjan Kumar Deo, Parjang police station IIC Prasant Kumar Patra reached the spot and launched an investigation.
A case was registered in this connection and further investigations are on. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused, police said. When contacted, SP Gyana Ranjan Mohapatra said he is new to the place but will take measures to curb crime in Parjang locality. Parjang IIC assured that very soon the accused will be arrested.