E-Paper
Four men rob Pinjore scrap dealer of ₹20,000 at gunpoint, flee after opening fire at cops
Two separate FIRs have been registered
Four miscreants robbed a 51-year-old rag trader of ₹20,000 at gunpoint in Pinjore on Tuesday.
Police said the incident took place around 2.30pm at Mandanwala village in Pinjore. The accused were also chased by a police team, but they managed to flee and even opened fire on them.
Complainant Purshottam Lal Mittal, a resident of Amravati, told the police that he was sitting at his rag godown—Khatu Shyam Traders—on the Pinjore-Nalagarh road, when the incident took place.
Police received a call about the incident after which a team from Madanwala police post reached the spot. As per the complainant, he was sitting at his godown when a white Hyundai i20 car came from Pinjore side and three men in their mid-20s came out of it.
Mittal told the police that after staying out for a few minutes, the three men came inside while one of their accomplices was sitting in the car. “They took out pistols, made a video call to another man and made me talk to him. The man asked me to hand over ₹50,000 to the three,” he said.
When the complainant told the man on the call that he does not have money, the person asked the three to shoot him if he does not do as told. Police said the complainant was terrified and gave them ₹20,000. However, the miscreants told him that they will come back in half an hour to take the remaining amount.
Pinjore station house officer (SHO) inspector Yashdeep Singh said the accused after telling him to arrange the remaining amount, reportedly moved towards Baddi side. The complainant then raised an alarm after which some other traders gathered at the spot and informed the police.
The SHO said a team from Madanwala police post headed by sub-inspector Rajender Kumar reached the spot and were told that the Hyundai i20 car was roaming in the vicinity. In the meantime, the same car was spotted coming on the same stretch. The police team tried to stop it there but they managed to get away.
Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Kamal Deep Goyal said after spotting the car, Mandanwala police post in-charge with other officials chased the accused persons in a PCR vehicle. “During the chase, when the accused turned onto the main road towards Rampur Jangi village, their car’s tyre plunged into a ditch along the road. All four men then came out, opened fire at the police team and started running from there. The team continued chasing them but they (accused) managed to flee,” said the DCP.
Upon checking the i20 car, the police found two fire arms and some other important clues which are being analysed for leads. The DCP, along with Kalka assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Ramesh Gulia, crime branch teams from Sector 19 and 26 and Pinjore, Kalka SHOs reached the spot.
Two separate FIRs have been registered. The first was registered on the complaint of the rag trader under sections 392 (robbery), 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Arms Act. The second FIR was lodged for opening fire at the police party, under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 307 (attempt to murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC and under the Arms Act.
