Youth Attacked in Loot Bid on NH-60 in Balasore

Bhubaneswar : A youth sustained critical injuries after being chased and attacked by miscreants in a suspected loot attempt near NH-60 Jamalpur bypass under Jaleswar police limits in Odisha’s Balasore district late Sunday night.

The victim, identified as Arun Rout of Banida village, who worked at a hotel, was returning home after work when the incident occurred. Reports suggest that the assailants first chased him before brutally stabbing him with a sharp knife. They looted his mobile phone, ornaments, and cash before fleeing, leaving Arun bleeding on the road.

Locals discovered the youth in a pool of blood and rushed him to the nearest hospital. As his condition was critical, he was later referred to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), where doctors confirmed that he had sustained multiple stab injuries but is currently stable.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. While the exact motive behind the attack remains unclear, authorities are probing whether it was purely a loot attempt or linked to past enmity.

Meanwhile, local residents expressed outrage over the growing number of crimes along the NH-60 stretch, which extends into West Bengal. They alleged that criminal networks are operating in the area with cross-border complicity, making the route increasingly unsafe for commuters.