Nabarangpur, July 11: In a daring late-night robbery, four armed and masked miscreants allegedly stormed the residence of a teacher in Rajamunda village under Banua Guda Panchayat in Odisha's Nabarangpur district, making away with cash and gold ornaments worth over ₹15 lakh, police said on Saturday.

According to the complaint, the robbers arrived in a four-wheeler and forcibly entered the house by breaking open the doors of the bedroom, kitchen and storeroom. They then woke the teacher and his wife and demanded the keys to the cupboard containing cash and valuables.

When the couple resisted, the accused allegedly threatened them with deadly weapons, including knives, a ‘bhujali’ and an axe, warning them of dire consequences. Fearing for their lives, the teacher handed over the keys, following which the robbers opened the cupboard and decamped with cash and gold jewellery.

The victim, Lachhman Thakur, said the incident took place at around 2 a.m. After the robbers fled, the family noticed tyre marks of a four-wheeler outside the house, indicating the accused had escaped in a vehicle.

On receiving information, a team from Jharigaon Police Station, led by IIC Rachita Madkami, reached the spot and initiated an investigation. A forensic team was also pressed into service to collect evidence from the crime scene.

Nabarangpur Superintendent of Police Kashyap Partha Jagadish and SDPO Shubhendu Kumar Sabar also visited the spot and reviewed the investigation. Police have launched a probe and are working to identify and apprehend the accused.