Filling station manager, assistant robbed of ₹25 lakh in Ludhiana

The victim was identified as Pardeep Kumar, who along with his assistant Malkit Singh, had arrived at the State Bank of India (SBI) to deposit the cash in a Maruti Swift car.

Two bike-borne men targeted a filling station manager and his assistant as they made away with their cash bag, which contained around ₹25.19 lakh, when they were going to deposit it in the bank on Tuesday. The incident took place near Dholewal, just 400m from Division Number 6 police station.

Cops at the spot where the two bike-borne men had targeted the filling station manager and his assistant, near Dholewal, in Ludhiana on Thursday. (Manish/HT)

The victim was identified as Pardeep Kumar, who along with his assistant Malkit Singh, had arrived at the State Bank of India (SBI) to deposit the cash in a Maruti Swift car.

After parking the car, Pardeep stepped out while Malkit remained in the vehicle with the cash bag. It was then that a man swiftly approached Malkit, snatching the bag and fled.

Pardeep immediately alerted the police and said that he tried to chase the accused but to no avail. He also failed to jot down the registration number of the bike.

Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, Industrial Area B) Sandeep Vadhera said that Pardeep Kumar, the manager at Oorja filling station on Chandigarh road, often visits the bank to deposit the cash. The accused were following them from the filling station. As the manager and his assistant reached the bank, the accused robbed them of cash.

The ACP added that the police are scanning closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed near the spot and have found vital clues.