Hirakud Police Crack ₹23 Lakh Theft Case, Three Arrested

Sambalpur: In a major breakthrough, Hirakud police have successfully solved a high-value theft case reported last week, recovering gold and silver ornaments worth ₹15 lakh and cash amounting to ₹7.97 lakh. The total value of the seized property stands at approximately ₹23 lakh, officials confirmed.

Three accused have been arrested in connection with the theft. They have been identified as Sanjay Pradhan (42) of HBL Colony, Shiv Shankar Jena (42) of ITI Gujatal, and Prashant Kumar Barik (39) of Substation Colony—all residents of the Hirakud area.

According to Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo, the trio fled to Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu after committing the crime. The stolen goods were handed over to Prashant, who was instructed to return to Sambalpur a month later. Police also revealed that Sanjay Pradhan is a habitual offender with eight prior criminal cases against him.

The theft occurred in the early hours of July 24 at the home of Rajendra Kumar Swain in SDO Colony, under Hirakud police limits. The robbers broke into the house at around 5 AM, while the family was asleep, and decamped with cash and gold ornaments. Swain promptly filed a complaint at the Hirakud police station, leading to an intensive week-long investigation.

Using surveillance and intelligence inputs, police successfully tracked and apprehended all three suspects. They have been produced in court, and further investigation is ongoing to determine if the gang is linked to other thefts in the region.