Sambalpur: Crime Wave Hits Sambalpur; Elderly Woman Robbed After Consuming Intoxicated Prasad

Sambalpur: In Sambalpur, a sad occurrence happened in which a woman was robbed while intoxicated at a temple. The robbery scheme was carried out under the jurisdiction of the Sambalpur Dhanupali police station. The affected individuals, including a temple worshipper, are currently being treated at Burla Hospital, with their statuses classified as critical.

The incident began when an 80-year-old woman called Manorama Acharya went into the market at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday but did not come home, causing her family to begin a search. After a thorough search, Manorama was discovered unconscious within Ranisati temple around 2 a.m., along with another temple worshipper in a similar state. It was clear that during her temple visit, she consumed prasad laced with illicit substances, putting her to sleep. As a result, she was robbed of their gold jewelry, which included gold bangles, gold earrings, and a chain.

Following the finding, the family immediately rushed both victims to Sambalpur District Headquarter Hospital, where they were moved to Burla Main Hospital due to their serious condition. Currently, they are receiving treatment there.

The current incident has similarities to one that occurred previously in the Govindtola area, where a similar tactic was used. The wife of a former temple gardener was also drugged and robbed of her jewelry, with the criminals resorting to abduction. She was discovered four days later in a forest in Sonepur. Despite this troubling history, neighbors have expressed concern about the effectiveness of police patrolling, regretting the recurrence of such crimes.

The Sambalpur police department’s ineffectiveness in addressing these security failures is clear, with the recent event acting as a sharp reminder of the critical need for increased monitoring and aggressive measures to protect public safety in the area.