New Delhi: A dramatic shootout between a lone police officer and a seven-member robbery gang has been making headlines in West Bengal. The incident, which took place last week at a jewelry shop in Raniganj, shows the exceptional courage of Sub-Inspector Meghnad Mondal.Mondal caught the robbery in progressOn a seemingly ordinary Sunday afternoon, chaos erupted in Raniganj as seven masked robbers, armed with an arsenal of weapons, stormed a prominent jewelry store. The CCTV footage captures the terrifying scene as the robbers swiftly cornered ornaments worth over Rs 4 crore, leaving the shopowners and customers in a state of shock.Officer Mondal intervenesJust when the robbers seemed were set for a clean getaway, fate intervened. Sub-Inspector Mondal, who happened to be in the vicinity for personal reasons, noticed the commotion near the jewelry shop. Despite being in plain clothes, his instincts kicked in. Recognizing the suspicious activity, he took cover behind an electric pole, his service revolver his only defense.Gunfire eruptsAs luck would have it, one of the robbers keeping watch outside spotted Officer Mondal and alerted his accomplices. A fierce gunfight ensued for over 30 seconds, with Mondal bravely returning fire and taking cover behind the pole. One of the robbers fell, injured by a bullet from Mondals revolver. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Mondals courage forced the robbers to flee from the spot.স্রেফ একটি বিদ্যুতের খুঁটিকে মেঘ বানিয়ে তার আড়াল থেকে আগাগোড়া লড়ে গেছেন বাস্তবের মেঘনাদ, জীবনের বিন্দুমাত্র তোয়াক্কা না করেই। রোমহর্ষক সেই কাহিনি শুনতে চাওয়ার অসংখ্য অনুরোধ আসছে পরিচিতদের কাছ থেকে, আর মেঘনাদ এড়িয়ে যাচ্ছেন অল্প হেসে। ..(১৫/১৬) pic.twitter.com/EyE290gyNW— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) June 11, 2024Robbers flee, leaving loot behindOverwhelmed by the officers bravery, the remaining robbers decided to flee. They helped their injured comrade onto a motorbike and sped away, managing to escape with only about Rs 1.8 crore worth of jewelry. However, their haste proved costly. In their scramble to escape, they abandoned one of their motorbikes, nearly Rs 2.5 crore worth of stolen ornaments, two backpacks, and a significant amount of ammunition.Police officials close inUndeterred by the fleeing robbers, Officer Mondal immediately pursued them on foot, alerting nearby police personnel. An extensive manhunt was launched, extending into neighboring Jharkhand. Jharkhand police swiftly took action, managing to apprehend one of the accused, Suraj Singh, after seizing the hijacked car used by the robbers. The injured robber, Sonu Singh, was later arrested in Bihars Siwan district.স্রেফ একটি বিদ্যুতের খুঁটিকে মেঘ বানিয়ে তার আড়াল থেকে আগাগোড়া লড়ে গেছেন বাস্তবের মেঘনাদ, জীবনের বিন্দুমাত্র তোয়াক্কা না করেই। রোমহর্ষক সেই কাহিনি শুনতে চাওয়ার অসংখ্য অনুরোধ আসছে পরিচিতদের কাছ থেকে, আর মেঘনাদ এড়িয়ে যাচ্ছেন অল্প হেসে। ..(১৫/১৬) pic.twitter.com/EyE290gyNW— West Bengal Police (@WBPolice) June 11, 2024Duty above recognitionWhile the media has lauded Officer Mondal as a hero, the officer himself remains humble about his actions. His service revolver emptied and his motorbike bearing the mark of a bullet, Mondal simply states, I just did my duty, when asked about the ordeal. West Bengal police have assured the public that they are interrogating the arrested suspects and remain confident in apprehending the remaining gang members and recovering the stolen loot.
