Bhubaneswar: In a breakthrough, Rourkela police arrested an accused involved in a daring daylight robbery that took place near SBI Township Branch in Rourkela on January 9, 2025. The accused has been identified as a local scout, Rajesh Anthony alias David, who resides at Madhusudhan Marg under the Plantsite police station in Sundargarh district. As per reports, the incident occurred when 60-year-old Sushil Majhi withdrew Rs 5 lakhs from the SBI Township Branch in Sector-19 and was robbed of the cash, along with his ATM card, Aadhar card, cheque book, and bank copy, by micreants who came in a pulsar bike and decamped with a bag containing Aadhar card, cheque book and cash. Investigations revealed that the robbery was the handiwork of an interstate gang based in Katihar, Bihar, which had been scouting bank establishments in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal. The gang’s modus operandi involved one person staying inside the bank to identify high-value withdrawals and then informing other gang members outside through secret sign language. The insider then discreetly alerts the bike-borne accomplices, who swiftly swoop in to snatch the cash purse and make a quick escape. Following a string of 3-4 such heists across various districts, the gang members temporarily go underground, sending a portion of their ill-gotten gains back to their families. The police constituted a special team to investigate the case and verified over 30 similar offences in Jharkhand and West Bengal to pinpoint the involvement of the Katihar gang. CCTV footage from over 45 cameras across different states was scrutinised, and multiple tower dump analyses were conducted. The investigation led to the identification of a local scout, Rajesh Anthony alias David, who was allegedly involved in the crime. A total of Rs 5 lakh was recovered by the team. Further investigation is continuing to nab the major gang leaders hiding in different states.
