TINSUKIA: A daring armed robbery took place late Tuesday night at a petrol depot in Pengeri Chariali in Assam's Tinsukia district. Five armed assailants, arriving in a black Hyundai Venue vehicle without a number plate stormed the petrol pump brandishing pistols and looting more than Rs. 1 lakh in cash.
The gang quickly fled the scene, leaving staff and locals in a state of shock. The petrol depot is owned by businessman Binanda Sonowal.
Pengeri police have started a detailed investigation to find the criminals. They are also checking CCTV footage to track the vehicle used in the crime.
The robbery has raised serious safety and security concerns in the region.
Meanwhile, earlier, Nagaon police, led by Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Jayanta Baruah, caught a group of oil thieves who had been stealing oil from a pipeline. They arrested four people in connection with a recent oil theft in the Barhampur Bherbheri area of the district. Subsequently, the police also seized two oil tankers laden with several thousand litres of stolen oil from an oil pipeline near Barhampur Bherbheri area, a week prior.
As per reports, the arrested thieves were identified as Jalaluddin alias Jalu, Pranjal Kunwar, Madhurya Singha of Nagaon, and Jiten Gogoi of Makum.
Sources claimed that the gang of thieves had stolen oil from an oil pipeline after drilling and transporting the stolen oil to Demow in Sivasagar district on January 16.
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