CRY FOR HELP: The families giving details of the robbery to the police at Brindavan Nagar in Kurnool on Tuesday. (Report on Page 4)

KURNOOL: An inter-state gang was believed to have involved in the serial robberies in Brindavan Nagar in Kurnool city last night. A house was burgled in a similar fashion at Pardhasaradhi Nagar in the city on August 29. Incidents of house-breaking were reported from Kothakota, Bhuthpur, Shadnagar, Pardhasaradhi Nagar, Garladinne, Anantapur and Raichur were reported within a gap of 15 days.

In all incidents, the gang forced its way into the houses by breaking open the main doors with boulders and took away jewellery and currency. In last night's incident, valuables worth Rs 7 lakhs were taken away by the gang.

Mr. S. Venkateswaralu, who retired as radar operator in the Indian Air Force, said the gang first came to his house and banged the main door with boulders breaking it into pieces.

When Venkateswarlu tried to over-power one of the assailants, they threatened him to stab and explode a crude bomb.

He said the assailants spoke in the dialect closer to the one popular in Prakasam and southern area of Guntur districts.

Mr. Venkateswarlu said the gang relieved his wife and daughter of all valuables including "mangalasutra'' and one of them asked for a cigarette and offered one to him.

In another house, the gang did not spare even a pregnant woman, who took shelter in the house of a relation.

No fingerprints

When she resisted to part with the jewellery, the assailants threatened to stab her. Worried about her condition, her mother, Padmavathamma, who escorted the pregnant woman, collected the jewellery and gave it to the gang.

According to the victims, the assailants took precautions not to leave fingerprints and covered the hands with towels and handled the almirahs.

In all houses, they insisted upon the inmates opening the almirah and handing over the valuables. One of the assailants kissed a small baby before leaving the place.

The women said none of the assailants misbehaved with women or even men except threatening at knife point.

The residents of the colony said the police arrived after some time but the gang had vanished by that time.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail