Jabalpur, Nov 19 (IANS) A shocking incident unfolded on Wednesday when a businessman was attacked and looted by two bike-borne assailants in broad daylight near the busy Mandi Gate No. 1 area, police said.

The victim, identified as Vikas Sahu, was reportedly on his way to his office carrying Rs 19 lakh in cash that he had withdrawn from the bank branch.

According to officials, the masked attackers had been following Sahu after he withdrew the money. They intercepted him near the mandi gate, assaulted him, and fled with the cash.

News of the daylight robbery sparked outrage among local traders, who gathered at the Mandi office to stage a peaceful protest. They demanded immediate arrest of the culprits and recovery of the stolen amount, warning that business operations at Jabalpur mandi would remain suspended until their demands were met.

Traders also criticised the lack of police presence in the area, citing previous complaints about security lapses.

“Despite paying taxes regularly, there is no proper security arrangement. Incidents involving drunk miscreants have become routine, and even written complaints to the police have gone unanswered,” said Deepak Dongaria, a local trader.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ayush Gupta, along with a team from Vijay Nagar police station, reached the spot to pacify the protesters.

Gupta assured that multiple teams have been deployed to track down the assailants.

“CCTV footage is being examined, and the culprits will be arrested soon,” he told reporters.

–IANS

pd/dan