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Ludhiana: Money exchanger foils robbery bid, police on hunt for two
Neeraj Tiwari was at his money exchange facility in Janakpuri when two persons with covered faces showed. One of them pointed a gun at Tiwari demanding cash. Tiwari pulled out a sword to protect himslef, meanwhile, other shopkeepers gathered outside, forcing the suspects to flee
A robbery bid at a money exchange facility in the city was foiled late Friday night after the shop owner confronted two armed assailants with a sword, forcing them to flee. The incident was captured on CCTV, police said.
The incident occurred in Ganesh Nagar of Janakpuri area where Neeraj Tiwari runs a money exchange facility. According to the victim, two masked men arrived outside his shop around 9.10 pm, and one of them pointed a gun at him, demanding cash.
Tiwari said he refused to comply with their demand, following which the accused allegedly threatened him with dire consequences. When he continued to resist, the accused attempted to force their way inside by vandalising the entrance gate and window of the shop.
However, the shop was secured with an iron grill at the entrance, which prevented the assailants from entering. “They tried to break open the gate and even attempted to smash the window glass,” Tiwari said, adding that he then pulled out a sword kept inside the shop and challenged the attackers.
As the confrontation unfolded, nearby shopkeepers began gathering at the spot, prompting the suspects to flee the scene without taking any cash.
Tiwari later informed the police and filed a formal complaint at the division number 2 police station. Police teams reached the spot and began an investigation.
Local traders who rushed to the shop after the incident expressed concern over the rising number of snatching and robbery incidents in the city. Several shopkeepers said that with criminals increasingly targeting businesses, many traders feel compelled to keep sharp-edged weapons for self-defence.
Division number 2 police said CCTV footage from the shop was being scanned. The suspects had covered their faces, making identification difficult. They are scanning additional CCTV cameras installed in the market area to trace the accused.
