A gang of criminals barged into a substation of the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) in Gangarampur of South Dinajpur early on Thursday, overpowered security guards and looted goods worth around ₹5 lakh.

Senior police officers visited the spot and started a probe. The police also spoke to the on-duty guards who claimed were held at gunpoint by attackers.

Sources said that criminals entered the substation campus around 2am.

“They had firearms and sharp weapons. They held us at gunpoint.... There were seven security guards on duty and the campus. All of us were forced to enter the room,” said Beldar Hossain, one of the private security guards, adding that they were thrashed and tied up.

The criminals entered the substation godown, took away electrical goods and fled.

“It seems goods worth around ₹5 lakh were looted. We have filed a police complaint,” said Subhankar Saha, an assistant engineer of WBSEDCL in Gangarampur.

Chinmay Mittal, the South Dinajpur SP, and Kartick Chandra Mondal, the ASP, also visited the site.