Gift cards worth Rs1.86 crore looted

Talcher: Gift cards worth Rs 1.86 crore meant for distribution among coal mine workers were looted from a vehicle near Badakathia jungle on Koshala-Kumunda road under Gopalprasad police limits here in Angul district Saturday afternoon, police said.

Police said miscreants intercepted the vehicle and looted 2,408 gift cards, each valued at Rs 7,500. A case (196/25) has been registered under Gopalprasad police station and an investigation is under way.

As per initial reports, V Vinod Kumar, an official of VPR Company, was transporting the cards from the Ananta coal mine office of Mahanadi Coalfi elds Ltd. (MCL) in Talcher to the Chhendipada coal mine office in an SUV when the robbery took place.

As the vehicle was passing through a forested stretch on the Kosala-Kumunda road, a group of three to four men in a vehicle blocked the road and forcibly stopped the vehicle.

The attackers allegedly threatened the official and physically assaulted him before fleeing with the entire consignment of gift cards, police said.

A formal complaint was filed with Gopalprasad police and the investigation is being carried out by the local police.

PNN

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