Chandigarh | Debt-ridden security guard was the mastermind: Cops

In his complaint, the accused, Santosh, had said that he was on duty at 11.30 pm when two masked men had snatched his phone and holding him at knifepoint had broken the locks of the almirah and cash counter at the nursery

Four days after two people robbed the Kitchen Garden Nursery in Sector 23, the police arrested three people, including the security guard-cum gardener, who had claimed that he was held hostage during the robbery, on Saturday.

In his complaint, the accused, Santosh, had said that he was on duty at 11.30 pm when two masked men had snatched his phone and holding him at knifepoint had broken the locks of the almirah and cash counter at the nursery. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Those arrested are Santosh Kumar, 20, of Nayagaon, the security guard; Ranjeet Kumar, 20, of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, and Sonu Verma, 20, of Rohtak in Haryana. Calling the security guard the mastermind of the robbery, Chandigarh superintendent of police (SP, city) Shruti Arora said, “The accused, Santosh, who hails from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, was working as a gardener-cum-security guard at the nursery. He planned the robbery with his friends.”

In his complaint, the accused, Santosh, had said that he was on duty at 11.30 pm when two masked men had snatched his phone and holding him at knifepoint had broken the locks of the almirah and cash counter at the nursery.They had stolen ₹19,000 and two mobile phones, apart from the guard’s. A case had been registered under Sections 392 ( robbery) of the Indian penal Code (IPC) at the Sector 17 police station on August 30.

‘Aides were habitual drunks, wanted money to fund lifestyle’

It was a ₹25,000 debt incurred for his brother’s wedding, which had been solemnised just a few days ago, which led Santosh to plan the robbery. His aides, who also hail from Amethi, were habitual drunks and wanted easy money to fund their lifestyle,” the SP said.

His two aides, who had only studied till Class 10 and Class 8, were also gardeners. While Ranjit, who was staying at Nada village in Mohali, works as at a farm; Sonu works as gardener in a nursery in Rohtak.

It was Ranjeet, who told the police about the complainant, Santosh’s involvement. The police has recovered the three stolen mobile phones, the weapon used in the crime. They had distributed the money among themselves and had already spent it, the SP said.