Armed robbers made off with a lorry laden with cigarettes worth Rs. 80 lakhs at Somandepalli in Anantapur district, on Tuesday.
According to police sources, the lorry, laden with various brands of cigarettes manufactured by 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 the 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. Police have alerted check-posts on the national and state highways to nab the culprits.