sikkim-man-wakes-up-in-odisha-after-being-drugged-robbed

A 54-year-old man from Sikkim allegedly regained consciousness at Cuttack Railway Station in Odisha two days after boarding a taxi in Gangtok, with Rs 7 lakh in cash missing, prompting a cross-state investigation into suspected drugging and robbery.

According to police, the man, a resident of Geyzing district in Sikkim, had travelled to Gangtok on April 15 for work. He parked his vehicle near Minister Quarter and boarded a taxi bound for Tadong while carrying a handbag containing Rs 7 lakh in cash.

Investigators suspect the victim may have been drugged during the journey, possibly after consuming food or drink laced with a sedative inside the vehicle, causing him to lose consciousness shortly after the trip began.

He reportedly remained unconscious for nearly two days and later woke up at Cuttack Railway Station, around 800 kilometres away, without his cash and personal belongings and with no memory of how he reached Odisha.

After regaining consciousness, he approached the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Cuttack for help. Officials arranged medical assistance, recorded his statement and initiated legal procedures.

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The GRP in Cuttack registered a Zero FIR on May 20 and transferred the case to the concerned jurisdiction for further investigation. The matter has since been registered at Sadar Police Station as FIR No. 45/2026 under Section 305(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, against unidentified persons.

Police have launched efforts to trace the vehicle route, identify those involved and recover the stolen money. Investigators are also probing whether the incident is part of a larger pattern involving organised gangs targeting travellers carrying large sums of cash.

The case has renewed concerns over the use of sedatives in crimes targeting passengers during inter-state travel, with police urging commuters to remain vigilant and avoid accepting food or beverages from strangers while using taxis, buses or trains.

Officials said further details are awaited as the investigation continues across jurisdictions in Sikkim, West Bengal and Odisha.