Patna: A group of six masked men allegedly robbed a house of gold and silver jewellery worth around Rs 15 lakh after holding a family hostage in Barh subdivision of Patna district on Friday morning, police said.
The incident took place in Budhauddin Chak village, located near Barh railway station under the jurisdiction of Barh police station. The robbery in a densely populated locality has triggered concern among residents and prompted a police investigation.
Homeowner Allegedly Overpowered on Rooftop
According to the homeowner, Jaychandra Kumar Chaudhary, he went to the rooftop at around 7.30 am to dry clothes when he noticed that the door of a rooftop storeroom was partially open.
Suspecting something was unusual, he looked inside the room. Chaudhary alleged that six masked men who had been hiding there suddenly attacked him, gagged him and tied his hands and feet before leaving him restrained on the rooftop.
Family Held at Gunpoint
After overpowering the homeowner, the assailants allegedly entered the house and held Chaudhary’s wife, son and daughter at gunpoint. The family members were confined to a room while the robbers searched the house.
The accused allegedly demanded information about jewellery stored in cupboards and a safe before ransacking the premises. According to the family, the robbers remained inside the house for about 30 minutes before fleeing with gold and silver ornaments estimated to be worth around Rs 15 lakh.
Police Launch Investigation
After the suspects left, Chaudhary managed to free himself and called for help. By the time neighbours responded, the accused had already escaped.
The family informed the Dial 112 emergency service, following which personnel from the emergency response team and Barh police reached the spot.
Barh Station House Officer Braj Kishore Singh visited the scene with a police team and initiated an investigation. Police are examining the circumstances of the robbery and are working to identify and trace those involved.
No arrests had been reported at the time of writing.
