Silvester D’ Souza

Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Sep 20: Miscreants assaulted the cashier of Dharmastala Rural Development Project (DRDP) office on Wednesday morning, September 20, and robbed nearly Rs 2.3 lac from her.

Cashier Preethi (23) was alone in the office, and a sum of Rs 2.3 lac collected from members was in the cash box. A person wearing a helmet arrived at the office at about 10 am, asking for the location of the agriculture office. As Preethi explained the route, the person assaulted her with a wooden stick, hitting her on her head, face and waist, and kicked her legs. He made away with the cash from the box.

Preethi was in a semi-conscious state after the assault due to loss of blood. A person who arrived at the scene saw her and raised the alarm. Local shopkeepers rushed to the spot. They called the women from the neighbourhood and admitted Preethi to Haladi Government Hospital with the help of the 108 ambulance service. The hospital suggested they admit her to Manipal hospital, where she is currently undergoing treatment.

Office opens at 7 am on Wednesdays

The office of Dharmastala Rural Development Project has been functioning for the last fifteen years. It opens at 7 am every Wednesday. Those who go to work used to proceed after making payment there. Therefore cash in lakhs gets collected by 9 am. Those who were aware of this are suspected to be the miscreants.

Amasebail police, circle inspector Manjappa, forensic experts and dog squad visited the spot.

Bike-borne assailant

It is suspected that the robber had arrived in a Pulsar bike. Locals say they saw a Pulsar bike going from the location after some time of the incident.

Police held roadblocks everywhere after the incident and searched for the suspect. Search dogs came upto the main road and returned. It is assumed that the suspect parked his bike there.