Govt official assaulted, robbed in Chanakyapuri; two held

A government official was assaulted and robbed of his wallet and mobile phone by two men on a scooter near Panchsheel Marg-Shanti Path roundabout in central Delhi’s Chanakyapuri. Two suspects have been apprehended by the police.

A government official was assaulted and robbed of his wallet and mobile phone by two men on a scooter near Panchsheel Marg-Shanti Path roundabout in central Delhi’s Chanakyapuri on Wednesday night, police said.

A case of robbery and voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery was registered under sections 392, 394 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code at the Chanakyapuri police station. (HT Photo)

Senior police officers on Friday said that the crime branch had apprehended two suspects whose identities are yet to be revealed.

A case of robbery and voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery was registered under sections 392, 394 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code at the Chanakyapuri police station on Wednesday on the complaint of the official, identified as P Shankar. Shankar is a senior principal private secretary at the Union ministry of health and family welfare and is currently posted at the Niti Aayog, the police said.

The place where the crime took place is a high-security diplomatic zone and is surrounded by multiple embassies and high commissions such as the Chinese Embassy, Australian High Commission and British High Commision. The incident is also taking place just days ahead of the Independence Day celebrations for which a high alert has been sounded across the city.

When HT reached out to Shankar over the phone regarding the incident, he refused to comment and stated that police had already issued a statement on the crime.

As per the first information report (FIR), Shankar left his Niti Aayog office in central Delhi on Wednesday evening and was driving his car to his residence in southwest Delhi’s RK Puram Sector 4. At around 8.15 pm, he reached Panchsheel Marg-Shanti Path roundabout, where his car allegedly brushed past a scooter. The two men on the scooter asked Shankar to stop his vehicle claiming that they had suffered injuries to their legs.

Police said that the man riding pillion on the scooter then got down while the rider blocked the car with the two-wheeler. He asked Shankar to step out of the car. As Shankar came out, the rider parked his vehicle and started strangulating him, police said. Meanwhile, the other man took out a wallet from Shankar’s pocket.

Police said that the assault led to Shankar losing consciousness and collapsing on the road. When he regained consciousness, he found that the suspects had taken away his mobile phone from inside the car as well, the FIR stated.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer on Friday said that two suspects were apprehended by the crime branch in connection with the case and were being interrogated.