Patna: Armed robbers held a family hostage overnight and looted cash and jewellery worth an estimated Rs 50 lakh from the home of a former local representative in Bihar’s Saran district, police said on Sunday.
The robbery took place late on Saturday night at the residence of Govinda Singh, a former block development committee (BDC) member, in Pithori village under the jurisdiction of Baniapur police station. According to the family, more than five armed men stormed the house, threatened women and children at gunpoint, and ransacked the premises for several hours.
Singh said the family had finished dinner and gone to bed when they heard noises inside the house. “Before we could understand what was happening, armed men were standing in front of us,” he said. “They warned us not to make any noise and pointed pistols at my wife and children.”
The attackers allegedly forced four family members into a room, locked it from outside and continued to threaten them throughout the night. “If anyone cried, they shouted that they would kill everyone,” Singh said.
The robbers then spread through the house, breaking open cupboards and boxes and overturning belongings. Singh said the gang appeared to know exactly where valuables were kept. “They kept asking where else things were hidden and said they didn’t have much time,” he said.
The family estimates that the gang made off with gold and silver jewellery worth about Rs 40 lakh and cash amounting to roughly Rs 10 lakh. Singh said the money had been saved for purchasing land and for his daughter’s wedding.
His wife, Meera Devi, said she initially thought the intruders were villagers. “When I saw pistols, iron rods and sticks in their hands, I realised they were criminals,” she said. “They took away all the money we had kept for our daughter’s marriage.”
The family said they were too frightened to raise an alarm or contact neighbours. Singh attempted to call the police once, but the call did not connect. Even after the robbers fled, they waited for some time before opening the locked door. “Everything in the house was scattered,” he said. “We were completely shaken.”
Police were informed on Sunday morning. Senior officers, including the Saran senior superintendent of police (SSP) and the subdivisional police officer (SDPO) of Sadar-2, visited the site and recorded statements.
The SSP said a special investigation team had been formed and a district intelligence unit deployed. Police are examining CCTV footage from surrounding areas and collecting forensic evidence from the scene.
“Prima facie, it appears the criminals had prior information about the house and its occupants,” the SSP said, adding that efforts were under way to identify and arrest those involved.
