Rs 12 lakh, other valuables looted by dacoits

PATNA: In the second incident of dacoity in Patna district within 24 hours, dacoits struck at the house of a retired army man, Dinesh Singh (55), at village Laluadih under Salimpur police station area in Patna district on Friday night. They looted around Rs 12 lakh in cash, apart from other valuables.
Singh, his wife Lalita Devi and their son Ranjit were present at the house when the dacoity took place.They received head injuries while resisting the criminals and have been admitted to Patna Medical College and Hospital with serious head injuries.
Krishna Kumar, a relative of Singh, said, "We got a call from their neighbours that a dacoity had taken place at their house. We immediately rushed there. Dinesh was found unconscious while his son Ranjit, an army man, and his mother Lalita Devi were bleeding profusely from their heads. We took them to Patna and admitted them to PMCH. Ranjit and Dinesh are being treated at the hospital's ICU."
According to Lalita Devi, who is in a slightly better condition than Dinesh and Ranjit, the incident took place after midnight between 1am and 2am. The dacoits entered the house by using a ladder to climb to the balcony. "They were carrying firearms and tied all of us with rope. They hit us with guns but did not open fire. Ranjit's marriage is scheduled for April 16, hence jewellery, cash and other valuables were kept at the house. They took away everything," she said.
Barh SDPO Rajendra Kumar Bhill said, "A team of forensic science laboratory (FSL) and dog squad have been pressed into service. However, nobody has been arrested yet."
Incidentally, a dacoity had taken place at Beur on Thursday night, in which the miscreants used the same method to enter the house. However, police are yet to make any breakthrough in that case.