Date:04/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/04/stories/2007040425790100.htm

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30 lakhs robbed on State Highway

Staff Reporter

Three car-borne youths stop dairy vehicle and escape with cash

WHODUNNIT?: Guntur SP B. Shivadhar Reddy talking to Hema Dairy car driver Srinivasa Rao. - Photo: T.Vijay Kumar

GUNTUR: In a daylight highway robbery, three youths decamped with Rs.30 lakhs from a vehicle of Hema Dairy, when it was carrying cash for disbursement to farmers at its milk processing unit near Santamagaluru on Tuesday.

The driver of the vehicle, Srinivasa Rao, withdrew Rs.20 lakhs from Andhra Bank and Rs.10 lakhs from Vysya Bank around 11.30 a.m. and set out in the vehicle towards Vinukonda. Even before he reached Petruvanipalem on the State Highway, an Indica without a number plate overtook his vehicle and stopped in front.

Three youths emerged from the car and reportedly got into the dairy vehicle by wielding guns. They fired two rounds at the dairy vehicle, blindfolded the driver who was alone in the car and drove the vehicle towards Chilakaluripet via Kotappakonda taking a turn towards Purushottapatnam.

They stopped at a cemetery between Komativanipalem and Kammavaripalem, abandoned the dairy vehicle and boarded the Indica that was following them. They did not injure Srinivasa Rao.

All the three youths who were below 30 were speaking in Telugu among themselves. They seemed to be conversant with the banking transactions of Hema Dairy as they questioned Srinivasa Rao as to why his owner Satyanarayana did not accompany him on Tuesday.

Satyanarayana was away in Shirdi on a pilgrimage, Deputy Superintendent of Police M.V. Subba Reddy said.

Later, Srinivasa Rao telephoned his owner Satyanarayana, who in turn informed the police about the incident.

Superintendent of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy visited the spot in the evening and talked to the driver.

The police formed search and Clues teams and requisitioned dog squads to help them in the detection.

The police also alerted the Prakasam police and are checking vehicles at all check posts.