Gurugram collection agent shot at in bid to loot cash near Galleria Market

The assailants fled the area after the botched robbery attempt. The collection agent ran inside a bakery shop to save his life

A cash collection agent narrowly escaped with his life on Wednesday afternoon after three men on a motorcycle opened fire on him, in an attempt to loot cash, as soon as he came out of the busy Galleria Market in DLF Phase 4, police said.

The bullets missed the collection agent, who quickly dropped his motorcycle to the ground and sprinted for more than 150 metres with the bag containing cash. (HT Photo)

Police said that the agent, Mahendra Singh Negi (34), collects cash generated through sales from four shops in Galleria Market and, on Wednesday, too, he left the market after collecting the money and took the lane behind the market to reach another commercial establishment.

Police said Negi, who was riding a motorcycle, entered the lane around 3pm when the suspects, who were on a motorcycle, intercepted him and opened fire. But the bullets missed Negi, who quickly dropped his motorcycle to the ground and sprinted for more than 150 metres with the bag containing cash to enter the Galleria Market complex again. He ran inside a bakery shop to save his life, police said.

Negi’s assailants, meanwhile, fled the area after the botched robbery attempt and police said they recovered two empty cartridges and one live round from the spot. The private guards of the Galleria Market also confirmed that they heard the gunshots.

Investigators said Negi sustained an injury to his right leg when he dropped the motorcycle to the ground. But Negi claimed that doctors at the government hospital in Sector 10 have taken samples of his leg wound to ascertain whether it was caused by a bullet or not.

“I am at the hospital right now. The suspects suddenly intercepted me after coming from behind and opened fire. However, they missed me and I ran for my life. There was around ₹5-6 lakh in my bag but they were unable to get to it,” he said.

Shivam Singh, a senior staff at the bakery in which Negi sought shelter, said Negi was in a panic when he barged in.

”He was bleeding from his right leg and his shoe was torn. Later, crime branch officials came to us and garner information,” he said.

Satish Kumar, manager of another shop at Galleria, said Negi had just left after collecting ₹65,370 from them when the incident took place.

Subhash Boken, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said several crime branch teams have been pressed into action to ascertain the identity of the suspects and arrest them as soon as possible.

An FIR was registered against the suspects under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 398 (attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act at the DLF police station in Sector 29, police said.