Three unidentified bike men snatched Rs 2 lakh worth of cash from a wholesale fish trader in Dumariyatand locality under Dhanbad police station on Monday at 11.30 am.

Masked individuals entered the office of Bipin Shaw posing as vehicle owners and enquired about a fish consignment, eventually looting him at gunpoint. They fled the area soon after.

The incident follows traders from Wasseypur, associated with gangs, terrorizing some transporters who arrived at Purana Bazar locality from Kharagpur with a consignment of fish.

The wasseypur bunch, who had also ordered fish from Bengal, wanted to sell it at a higher rate. But the arrival of a huge consignment in 11 vehicles dipped the price. The wasseypur folks attacked some of the vehicles with hockey sticks, damaging windscreens, and manhandling and threatening two drivers.

Police investigates the robbery at fish trader Bipin Shaw’s office at Dumariatand. Gautam Dey

Talking to the media, Bipin's nephew Ayush Shaw said “The three criminals enquired the whereabouts of my uncle, saying they were vehicle owners who brought in our fish consignment. They claimed that their payment was due. As soon as my uncle arrived, they took out pistols and snatched cash from him.”

Bipin Shaw said, “The cash was from the sale of the fish consignment, and I couldn't identify any of them as they were wearing masks.”

Officer in charge of Dhasar police station, Jayram Prasad, said, “Eyewitnesses at the site informed us that three people who arrived on an Apache motorcycle robbed a trader and fled. We are investigating on the basis of inputs received from the victims, as well as other witnesses present at the scene. We are looking for the criminals, and have sealed the borders of the district.”