Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Apr 7: A gang of robbers who came in a car intercepted a container truck used for transporting fish, threatened its occupants, and robbed lacs of rupees in cash and cellphones from the occupants of the truck before escaping. The incident occurred in the early hours on Thursday April 6 at Dakshina Kannada district border at Shiradi on national highway 75.

The container truck in question was returning after carrying a load of fish to Chennai from Gangolli near Kundapur. Some people seated in a Toyota Innova car, perhaps knowing that the occupants of the truck had cash with them, were trailing the truck from Shiradi ghat section of the highway. At around 2.30 am on Thursday, the car suddenly moved ahead in a deserted spot and blocked movement of the truck. Three persons wielding knife and pistols got down from the car and boarded the truck.

One of them pushed the driver, Vighnesh, aside and started driving the truck. Two others threatened the occupants of the truck, which included driver, Vighnesh, cleaner, Tabraz, liners, Chetan and Arun. Facing threat to life, the people in the truck reportedly handed over nearly Rs 6 lac kept in the dash board being sale proceeds of the fish. The robbers also are said to have snatched away four cellphones from the truck occupants. Thereafter, the robbers got down from the truck and escaped in the same Innova car which followed the truck for about 30 minutes till Gundia, the victims stated.

It is said that the robbers were conversing in Kannada (Bengaluru style), Tulu and Beary languages. The occupants of the truck, who had noted down the registration number of the Innova, have given the same to Uppinangady police, who have registered a case and begun investigation.

It is said that although the robbery happened between 2 and 2.30 am on Thursday, the people in the truck directly reached Dharmasthala police station thorugh Periashanti and Kokkada due to tension and dismay, and reported the matter there at around 4 am. As the spot of robbery falls within Uppinangady station, the Dharmasthala police got in touch with their Uppinangady counterparts and informed them. They then sent the complainants and the truck to Uppinangady, it is said.

Although there is check post, shops and hotels at Gundia on the way, the people in the truck chose to directly go to Dharmasthala instead of using phone and other facilities at Gundia, which caused delay in reporting the information to the police.