Ludhiana: Mobile robbery victims held, accused at large

Victim’s family faces action as it attacked fleeing robbers, triggering retaliation during which a few vehicles were damaged

In a bizarre turn of events, the Jamalpur police have registered an FIR not only against those who “robbed” a family in New Sunder Nagar of a mobile phone while posing as customers but also against the “victims” from whose house the mobile was taken away. Two members of the victim family have been arrested while the robbery accused are at large.

Two members of the victim’s family have been arrested. (HT File)

The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 194(2) (affray), 324(4) (mischief causing damage between ₹20,000 and ₹1 lakh), 326(F) (mischief by fire or explosive substance), 191(3) (rioting with deadly weapons) and 190 (unlawful assembly with a common criminal objective). Those named include Satyam Pandey and his son Shubham Pandey, residents of New Sunder Nagar, Vishu from Ram Nagar, Arjun from Bhamian Kalan and their eight unidentified accomplices.

According to the police, the scuffle began when Vishu visited Pandey’s house to purchase a second-hand mobile phone that had been listed online for sale by his (Pandey’s) daughter Sapna. While inspecting the device, Vishu and his aides allegedly attempted to flee with the phone. When Pandey’s family tried to stop them, the confrontation escalated.

The Pandey family reportedly retaliated by throwing bricks at Vishu and his associates. In response, the accused and his group not only threw bricks but also vandalised vehicles parked in the street and set a bike on fire, causing significant property damage.

Satyam Pandey and his son Shubham have since been arrested in connection with the incident, the police confirmed. Vishu and his group are reportedly on the run. The police said an investigation is ongoing to apprehend them and to determine the full sequence of events.

Head constable Gurinder Singh, who is investigating the case, said both groups accused each other of the violence. The police will take appropriate action according to the investigation.