25 Robbers Hold Staff Hostage For 2 Hours, Loot Rs 16 Lakh From Ranchi Power Grid
Around 25 robbers held staff hostage at Ranchi's Namkum electricity grid, stealing Rs 15-16 lakh. Police investigation underway amid security concerns
A major robbery unfolded on Monday night at the electricity grid facility in Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand, involving a group of around 25 armed assailants. The incident, which has only recently come to light, saw the robbers detain night-shift operators and security personnel, holding them hostage for approximately two hours while making off with goods valued at around Rs 15 to 16 lakh.
Deputy General Manager Rakesh Ranjan confirmed the occurrence, explaining that the perpetrators forcibly broke into all four rooms of the transmission central store at Namkum. They seized items from two of the rooms during the heist. Alarmingly, the robbers also attempted to interfere with equipment connected to the live power line.
Before fleeing the scene, the gang threatened the grid staff, ordering them not to report the theft to the police for at least 30 minutes, under the threat of being shot. This warning left the employees deeply shaken.
Rakesh Ranjan further highlighted concerns regarding the presence of drug addicts loitering around the Namkum grid, some openly consuming alcohol, which he believes contributes to increased criminal activity in the area. He has called on local authorities to take immediate action to curb these risks and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The robbery has raised serious questions about the security measures in place at critical government infrastructure sites such as the power grid. Police have launched a full investigation, and efforts to track down the culprits are currently ongoing.
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First Published:
July 16, 2025, 15:36 IST
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