Kohima, February 20 2009: In a broad daylight robbery in the state capital, armed miscreants looted an amount of Rs 15.87 lakh at gun point from three staff members of School Education Directorate on Thursday.

The incident occurred near State Museum Kohima when the School Education Directorate employees were returning to their office after drawing the amount from SBI main branch at around 1.30 pm.

The miscreants numbering three and armed with two small arms and a carbine/sten gun allegedly intercepted the Bolero in which the Education Directorate employees were returning to their office and took them towards New Secretariat at gun point.

On reaching a secluded place, the miscreants tied their hands and blind folded them before decamping with the amount.

According to police, the three staff members of the Education Directorate included an LDA-cum-assistant cashier, a peon and the driver.

The amount was reportedly meant for leave encashment, GPF and DA arrears for the adhoc/contractual appointees of the School Education Directorate.

The employees of the School Education Department were carrying the amount without any police security despite the standing directive from the state government to get police security (Escort) for transporting/drawing/carrying more than Rs 10,000.Police also said the department concerned neither informed nor sought police escort or security for transporting the amount.

Moreover, police were informed about the incident at 2.05 pm, one hour after the incident happened.

Meanwhile, a case has been registered with the North Police Station here and police investigation is on to identify and nab the culprits.

This is not for the first time that government money was looted in broad daylight in the state capital due to absence of police escort.

Earlier, a huge amount of money meant for the salary of the workcharge employees of the state PWD was looted by applying similar modus operandi.

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