Mangaluru: In a shocking incident reported, a gang of 8 armed dacoits entered a house at Bajpe and managed to flee with 82 sovereign gold and Rs 50,000 cash; the incident took place late on Monday night.

The gang targeted a house belonging to Vasudev Asranna, hereditary trustee and main priest at Kateel Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple. It is said that the dacoits arrived in a vehicle and took possession of the gold and cash after threatening the residents.

The residents returned to their house at Shediguri after attending the third day Navarathri celebrations. Vasudev Asranna’s wife Niranjanakshi, son Kumar Asranna, daughter-in-law and child and daughter Roopa and her two children went off to sleep; half an hour later, someone rang the door bell.

When Kumar opened the door, the person asked for Prasadam and he was told to come the next day. Immediately, four masked persons barged inside while four others entered the house from the first floor. The family panicked on seeing the dacoits.

When one of the residents tried to call Venataramana Asranna, Vasudev’s brother, one of the dacoits, pointed a pistol and asked that the phone be kept down. The gang then assaulted Kumar and robbed cash and jewelry. They then locked the residents in a room and fled the scene.

Soon after, Venkataramana rushed to the house and let the family out. It is said that since it was Vasudev’s turn to perform the Navarathri Pooja, he had slept in the temple.

Apart from cash and jewelry, the gang also stole three mobiles, but the mobiles were found at a hill nearby. Groundnut packets were also found at the spot.

It is said that of the eight, only three were wearing masks and the gang spoke in broken Hindi and Tulu.

Sources opine that the gang might have kept a watch on the family’s movements and then planned the robbery.

The Bajpe police rushed to the spot with a canine squad, fingerprint experts and sketch artists. The incident has caused panic amongst locals.