About a dozen armed miscreants looted cash, postage stamps and savings certificates worth Rs 30 lakh from the Head Post Office (HPO) in Faizabad in the wee hours of Saturday. The incident was suspected to have taken place between midnight and 3 am, according to sources. The incident was also the first of its kind in Faizabad.
The HPO is close to the SSP office in the posh Civil Lines locality.
According to sources, the miscreants scaled the fence, overpowered two watchmen and four others on the premises. They tied up these six persons and herded them to a corner of the first floor. Thereafter, the miscreants broke a dozen locks with iron rods. They entered the strongroom and also broke open an iron safe.
There, they looted Rs 10 lakh cash, postage stamps, savings certificates, postal orders and Kisan Vikas Patras worth Rs 19.97 lakh.
Sweepers discovered the robbery around 6 am and informed the officials concerned. A police party arrived soon afterwards. The area was cordoned off and the six persons, who had been tied up, were freed.
Deputy inspector general of police Sanjay Tarde and Senior Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Pandey visited the spot. A dog squad was pressed into service. A team of investigators, including Special Operations Group sleuths, was formed.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy inspector general of police Sanjay Tarde and Senior Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Pandey visited the spot. A dog squad was pressed into service. A team of investigators, including Special Operations Group sleuths, was formed.
{{/usCountry}}A bundle of currency notes worth Rs 10,000 was found in the first floor of the HPO by the police. The normal functioning of the HPO was affected as counters remained closed on Saturday for verification of inventory in the wake of the robbery.