Ex-Employees Orchestrate Armed Robbery at Bhubaneswar Chemical Firm; 8 Arrested
Bhubaneswar, Oct 31: In a chilling case of insider vengeance, Bhubaneswar police have cracked a high-stakes robbery at Fortis Chemical Pvt. Ltd., Nayapalli, allegedly masterminded by two former employees.
The daring heist, which took place on October 3, involved abduction, assault, and the theft of Rs 10 lakh in cash and valuables.
According to the FIR filed by General Manager K. Balunkeswar Pattanaik, the attackers posed as RTI officials to gain access to the company’s guest house-cum-account office.
Manager Kaushal Kumar Singh was abducted at gunpoint, assaulted, and forced to reveal the location of hidden cash.
The gang, comprising seven masked men, also detained another staffer, Mohit Mishra, and looted personal items, including mobile phones, a laptop, and cards, before locking the victims in a bathroom.
The investigation revealed that two ex-drivers—Niranjan Nanda alias Raja and Ramakanta Patra alias Nitu—plotted the robbery after being terminated. They enlisted Harsha Rout, who assembled a gang from the Ganjam district.
CCTV footage of a rented white Creta led to Rout’s arrest and the recovery of Rs 70,000, a toy gun, and other stolen items. One suspect remains at large.
The case has been registered under Section 310(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 25(1-B)(a) of the Arms Act. Authorities are intensifying efforts to apprehend the remaining accused and recover the full loot.
