Dacoits loot ornaments, cash

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JUNE 19. In a daring incident, eight dacoits struck at two houses on the outskirts of Hanumanthegowdana Palya village in Nelamangala taluk of Bangalore Rural District in the early hours of Tuesday, terrorised and assaulted six inmates before fleeing with gold, silver ornaments and cash.

The dacoits, who came to the farmhouse of Mr. Hutchahanume Gowda (45), a kerosene dealer of the village, at about 12.30 a.m., smashed the front door with boulders and clubs. Even as the dacoits began battering the grill door of the front house, the inmates started shouting for help. As the house is some distance away, the cries for help did not reach the villagers.

Some of the dacoits broke the window panes and another cut the telephone wire. After breaking open the grill door, the dacoits smashed the wooden door and entered the house. The dacoits demanded that the inmates hand over cash and ornaments. They hit Mr. Gowda on the arm and asked him for the key to the almirah. When Mr. Gowda said he did not have the key, one of the dacoits hit him on the chest with a machete.

Meanwhile, the dacoits began beating up Lalitha (40), Mr. Gowda's wife, and one of their children, Ashwini, with clubs. Mr. Gowda's son, Arun Kumar, pretended to be asleep and escaped the onslaught. The dacoits ransacked the house and took away a gold mangalasutra, a gold chain, other ornaments and Rs. 26,000 in cash from Mr. Gowda's house.

The dacoits then turned their attention to the house of Mr. Gowda's tenant, Ms. Lakshmi Bai, a teacher in a government school in the village.

They ransacked her house and took away gold ornaments and Rs. 9,000 in cash after assaulting her and her two children, L. Sangam and L. Archana.

Ms. Bai's husband, Mr. K. Leeladhara Naik, an ex-serviceman employed as a security personnel in a bank office, was away in Bangalore.

On finding another door locked, the gang broke into the room and scattered the belongings all over the place. The room belonged to Ashwini's grandfather who was also away in Bangalore to attend a marriage. The dacoits shepherded the inmates into Mr. Gowda's house and locked them up before fleeing with the booty. Mr. Gowda managed to escape and ran to the village for help. The injured inmates were admitted to the Government Hospital in Nelamangala where, they are recovering.

Nelamangala Police have registered a case. Police suspect that the gang that committed dacoity at Dobbspet last month and at Magadi two months ago is involved in this crime. In all the three incidents, the modus operandi of the dacoits was the same.

The dacoits spoke Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. They were in the age group of 25-35. One of the dacoits, who was wearing a mask, appeared to be their leader. Senior police officers rushed to the spot. The dog squad was pressed into service.

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Section  : Southern States
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