A major theft was reported from Puri district on Sunday, where burglars allegedly looted gold ornaments and other valuables worth over Rs 10 lakh from the house of a female employee of the Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) office.

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The incident reportedly took place late Saturday night at Alipingala village under Denuan panchayat in Nimapada police limits. The victim, Anita Nanda, a clerk at the Puri SP office for several years, resides in Puri town with her family, while her ancestral home in the village remained mostly locked.

According to police sources, unidentified miscreants broke into the house during the night, forcing open doors in three bedrooms using iron rods. The burglars allegedly stole gold jewellery, brass utensils, and other valuables before fleeing the scene.

The theft came to light Sunday morning when a local priest, who maintains the house keys and performs daily rituals at the residence, arrived for worship and noticed signs of forced entry. He immediately informed Anita Nanda, who then rushed to Nimapada police station to file a formal complaint.

In a separate but similar incident reported the same night from Petaghai area under Nimapada tehsil, burglars allegedly broke into the house of Gobardhan Baral and decamped with gold ornaments worth several lakhs along with Rs 50,000 in cash.

The back-to-back thefts in two locations have raised alarm among the local residents over security and the rising spate of criminal activity in the area. Police have launched investigations into both incidents and are examining possible links between the cases. No comments were received from the local police in this regard.

Reported By: Sanjaya Pati