₹7 lakh robbed at gunpoint from steel factory’s office in Ludhiana

Four men wearing helmets restrain office employees using tape, make off with cash kept in drawer

Four armed men robbed ₹7 lakh from the employees of a steel mill in Industrial Area B near Miller Ganj on Friday afternoon and escaped with ease in broad daylight.

The robbers were wearing full-face helmets, and tied up the employees with chairs using cellotape. Police said the robbers struck at the business office of Ranvir Steel, Kanganwal, and Krishna Steel Rolling Mills.

Office manager Shyam Lal told the police that he and another employee Angrej were present in the office around 2.30pm, while another Surjit Singh, an employee of another firm, came over to deliver a cheque.

Suddenly, four men, wearing full-face helmets, barged into the office and flashed guns. Before they could react, they overpowered them and threatened to kill them, and took out ₹7 lakh kept in a drawer. The robbers then proceeded to tie them up with chairs using cellotape from the office itself, and made good their escape. Thereafter, Angrej managed to free himself and helped untie others. They raised the alarm and informed the mill owner, Varun Gupta, who further sounded the police.

INSIDER JOB SUSPECTED

Assistant commissioner of police, (ACP, detective) Mandeep Singh said preliminary inquiry had revealed that the office normally did not hold large amounts of cash. However, on Friday afternoon, a cash payment was received, and the robbers arrived within two hours, pointing at an insider job.

DCP (investigation) Simratpal Singh Dhindsa said the accused were aware of the cash and the staff at the office.

CCTV footage had captured two motorcycles – a TVS Apache and a Hero Splendor. Police are working to trace their owners.

A case of robbery was registered at the Division Number 6 police station.