Woman Gold Trader Attacked, ₹36 Lakh Looted in Daring Highway Robbery on NH-16 in Cuttack

Cuttack: A woman gold trader was critically injured after a group of six armed miscreants allegedly attacked her and fled with ₹36 lakh in cash in a brazen highway robbery on National Highway-16 near Taladanda in Cuttack late Sunday night.

The incident took place between 10 pm and 10:30 pm near the Taladanda Canal Bridge, close to OMP Chowk, while the victim, identified as Pinki Shah, was travelling on a scooter with one of her employees to the OMP bus stand. She was reportedly on her way to board a bus to Kolkata to purchase gold jewellery for her business.

According to the complaint lodged with police, the robbers intercepted the scooter by blocking its path with their vehicle. They then allegedly threatened the duo with weapons and demanded the cash. When Pinki resisted, the assailants attacked her with an iron rod, leaving her seriously injured before escaping with a bag containing ₹36 lakh.

Passers-by alerted the police after finding the injured businesswoman lying on the roadside. She was immediately shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment.

Police said Pinki owns a jewellery shop in Cuttack and was scheduled to leave for Kolkata on a bus departing from the OMP bus stand around 10:30 pm. The robbery occurred just minutes before her planned journey.

Her family members later filed a formal complaint at the Madhupatana Police Station. A police team also visited the hospital to record the victim’s statement as part of the investigation.

Investigators have launched a search operation to trace the accused and are examining CCTV footage from the highway and nearby areas to identify the six robbers. Further investigation is underway.