Cash, gold looted from Sadarghat Shani temple

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR, April 27: A daring robbery at Sadarghat Shani Mandir took place at 1 am, last night, here. Two persons with covered faces jumped over the boundary wall of the District Court, Cachar and entered the premises of the temple. Before Khukan Das 55, watchman of the temple, could comprehend anything, the duo tied his hands, legs, mouth and eyes with a rope. They tied his neck with a gamacha and threw him inside the kitchen of the temple. Khukan Das sustained several injuries upon his head, chest and waist as he has been attacked with a dagger.

 The robbers destroyed the CCTV along with its accessories. They broke open the store room which had two almirah, two trunks and a dotion box. The dotion box had Rs.2.5 lakh as cash and gold worth Rs.2 lakh which is now missing. At that time, Shantanu Das, assistant sub-inspector, traffic branch, was patrolling the area. He saw a man, with an iron rod, about to beat another person. On seeing this, Shantanu Das fired at his leg. Upon hearing the fire shot, the two robbers ran away. There was yet another watchman Ashish th who takes care of the fruit markets opposite the temple. While one of the robbers was engaged in taking away the cash and gold orments, the other was keeping a watch outside.

 A 9 mm pistol has been recovered from near the boundary wall that divides the temple from the District Judge Court. It is the same pistol which was stolen on April 23 from the P.I. Court, located nearby. “I have been serving for the last four years. The temple was established in the year 1970. Since its establishment, no such incidents have occurred. I do not know how this robbery took place. I could not see their faces as they were covered with black pieces of cloths,” said Shantanu Das. It is suspected that apart from the two robbers, there might have been a group of persons around. Khukan Das was bleeding due to the injuries inflicted by the dagger on his body.

 Sniffer dog from Karimganj was brought to expedite the investigation. It was creditable that the pistol could be traced out by the sniffer dog. Romakanta Deb, general secretary, maging committee of the temple, has lodged a FIR with the police. Additiol Police Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Officer in-charge, sadar tha, and sub-inspector, who is also the in-charge of town branch rushed to the spot. The committee of the temple has expressed its satisfaction with the prompt action taken by the police administration. Khukan Das who has a very horrible experience said, “I owe my life to Lord Shani without whose blessings I would not have survived.” Sudhangshu Ranjan Das, DSP, told The Sentinel, “Further investigation is on to find out the culprits and we are confident to take them into our custody. It is a matter of time.”