Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, May 21: A gang of robbers entered different houses located by the side of the national highway 17 near  Haleangady bus stand, Saag area and a nearby village named Padupanambur village there between 1 and 3 am on Thursday May 21 and decamped with cash, gold ornaments etc., from the necks of ladies, drawers and cupboards. Reportedly, the robbers gained entry into these houses by breaking open the bolts of the rear doors.

At around 2 pm, the thieves entered the home of Damodar Suvarna by the side of Haleangady Junction and snatched away the gold chain from Suvarna’s wife's neck besides taking away bracelet found in the drawer.  As the family members woke up because of the sound, the thieves ran away. Damodar Suvarna immediately called his close relatives over phone to inform them of the theft. It was found later, that cash amounting to two lac rupees Suvarna had drawn in the morning from the bank for buying gold ornaments for his daughter, who is scheduled to marry in November this year, was also taken away by the thieves. He called his wife to inform this to her, and collapsed. His relatives, who had arrived by then, took him to hospital but could not save him. Suvarna, who was in the forefront of development projects in the region and is the president of Halengady Billava Samaj Seva Sangh, is survived by wife and two children.

The thieves also entered a house belonging to Kalyani Shetty in Saag area at about 1 am. Although the thieves pulled away a chain from Kalyani's neck, she did not wake up. But when they pulled a chain her daughter Amita was wearing, she woke up and tried to catch hold of the hands of the thieves. But the thieves, who had smeared some greasy liquid to their hands, succeeded in slipping from her grip and fleeing away.

The gang tried to enter some other houses but failed. There are reports that the gang entered some more houses and took away gold ornaments, although full details are not available as yet.

Just like the robbers who struck near Padubidri last month, the gang members wore only shorts but nothing else,  had smeared oil or grease to their bodies and operated like experts, not getting trapped anywhere. It is not clear how many thieves made up the gang, but only one or two persons entered each house, as in the case of Padubidri, while others appear to have been waiting at a distance. The gang seems to have been emboldened by the fact that the earlier robbery cases near Padubidri remain unsolved.