Bihar: Armed criminals loot ₹5 lakh from maize trader in Purnea; case lodged

Armed criminals looted ₹5 lakh on gunpoint and took away the mobile phone from a maize trader on Purnea-Saharsa Road near Gokulpur Canal under K Nagar police station in Bihar’s Purnea late on Tuesday, the police said.

The trader, identified as 45-year-old Raniganj resident Babloo Kumar Yadav, was returning home to Araria after selling maize in North Bihar’s largest grain market Gulabbagh in Purnea when the incident took place.

Five criminals intercepted the trader’s bike and snatched the bag containing the money before taking away his mobile phone so that the police could not be informed. The incident took place around 9pm on Tuesday.

“An FIR has been registered under 309 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita on the complaint of the trader and a probe is underway. The police will soon identify the criminals involved in the incident,” station house officer (SHO) Navdeep Kumar said.

The SHO said traders in the area had been advised to inform the police whenever they carry large amounts of cash, but “they hardly follow the directive”.

“Such incidents, especially during the maize harvesting season, are common and the police held a meeting with businessmen and farmers in Gulabbagh recently to rein in such incidents of loot,” the police said.