Balasore/Soro: Amid an alarming rise in cases of theft and robbery, a family was allegedly held hostage and one of the members assaulted by miscreants while they decamped with valuables worth around Rs 20 lakh in Soro town of Odisha's Balasore district on Sunday night. 

One of the family members reportedly sustained injuries when the accused attacked him with sharp weapons and was hospitalised in the brazen theft bid. 

The victim, identified as Anand Behera of Banagadhia village within Simulia limits, lodged a police complaint following the incident. 

As per the family's allegations, six miscreants came on bicycles and entered their house by breaking the window. They barged into the house, handcuffed them while attacking Anand's son Ratikant with a knife and rod when he tried to resist their loot attempt. While he suffered injuries, the accused persons alllegedly looted Rs 8.4 lakh cash and gold ornaments including a mangalsutra, two necklaces, a few gold rings, two lockets and a chain, whose total value was to the tune of around Rs 12 lakh. They then fled the scene. 
meanwhile, Ratikant, who was injured, was first admitted to the nearest hospital in Simulia but later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital after his condition deteriorated. 

Acting on the complaint, police have initiated an investigation into the matter and are making efforts to track the accused. A case has been registered. 

Meanwhile, in a similar incident, there was another loot attempt in a mobile shop near Markona Chhak in the same locality. However, locals managed to catch three of the miscreants and handed them over to Simulia Police.