Armed robbers made off with a lorry laden with cigarettes worth Rs 80 lakh at at Somandepalli in Anantapur district on Tuesday.
According to police sources, the lorry, laden with various brands of cigarettes manufactured by the ITC, was on its way to Hyderabad with the cargo when some persons boarded it in the guise of passengers.
After travelling some distance, the ‘passengers’ threatened the driver at knifepoint and forced him to stop the vehicle. They made off with the lorry, leaving the driver and cleaner on the roadside.
The lorry driver managed to hitch a ride on another vehicle and reached Anantapur police station, where he filed a complaint. The police have alerted check-posts on the National and state highways to nab the culprits.