Gang of six masked intruders assaults garage owner in Bengaluru, steals cash, gold jewellery: Report

In a terrifying early morning incident in east Bengaluru, a 30-year-old garage owner, Tajuddin, was brutally assaulted and robbed by a gang of masked intruders.

A 30-year-old garage owner in east Bengaluru was brutally assaulted and looted after a gang of masked intruders stormed into his house in the early hours of Saturday.

The assailants not only stole valuables but also attempted to access his bank account, said the victim, from Bengaluru.

The robbery took place between 2 am and 2:30 am at Bidarahalli, when the victim, Tajuddin, was alone at his rented ground-floor residence. His parents had travelled to their hometown in Bidar, leaving him by himself for the night.

In his complaint to Avalahalli police, Tajuddin said he woke up around 2 am to unusual sounds near the entrance. As he stepped into the hall, he was confronted by six men wearing masks and armed with weapons ranging from machetes and daggers to wooden clubs, said a report by The Times of India.

When he told them there were no gold ornaments in the house, three members of the gang allegedly struck him repeatedly on the head. He raised his arm to defend himself, suffering a deep cut, and was also beaten on his thigh.

The intruders forced him to sit still while they went through every corner of the house. They flung open cupboards, rummaged through utensils and storage bins, and smashed open a suitcase and bag kept on a ledge.

The gang eventually took away a 10-gram mangalya chain, another gold chain, a pair of pendants, silver anklets, and ₹10,000 in cash. They also stole a hundi in which Tajuddin had been saving for his wedding scheduled in April, jewellery included in the loot had been purchased for his fiancee, said the report.

Not satisfied with the valuables, the gang seized his mobile phone, demanded his screen lock and UPI PIN, and checked his bank balance. They attempted several transfers, of which only ₹56,000 was successfully debited. Before leaving, they returned the phone but pocketed the scooter key. They are believed to have stayed inside the house for over half an hour, the report noted.

Though they took the key, Tajuddin later found his scooter untouched outside. He alerted his upstairs neighbour, who then contacted the police. Investigators reviewing a nearby CCTV camera spotted about eight men arriving on four motorcycles, with two acting as lookouts while six entered the house.

Officers said the gang initially spoke in Kannada but switched to Hindi after noticing Tajuddin’s skull cap. A case of dacoity has been registered under Section 310 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).