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₹54 lakh robbed in two separate incidents in northwest Delhi
New Delhi: A total of ₹54 lakh was allegedly looted by bike-borne miscreants in two separate incidents of snatching and robbery reported from two places in northwest Delhi within two and a half hours on Monday, following which police have formed at least four teams to identify and nab the culprits
New Delhi: A total of ₹54 lakh was allegedly looted by bike-borne miscreants in two separate incidents of snatching and robbery reported from two places in northwest Delhi within two and a half hours on Monday, following which police have formed at least four teams to identify and nab the culprits.
In the first incident, reported from Keshavpuram area, two bike-borne men allegedly snatched a bag containing ₹12 lakh from the accountant of a building construction material supplier based in Kundli near Sonepat in Haryana. The accountant, identified as Nitin Kashyap, was riding a motorcycle and returning to his office after collecting money from different clients in Azadpur, Roshanara Road, and Bharat Nagar in north and northwest Delhi, when the snatchers targeted him, said a police officer associated with the investigation.
In his complaint, Kashyap said that two men on a bike waylaid him as he reached near the Keshavpuram metro station, and snatched his cash bag. “Kashyap could not see the faces of the suspects because they were wearing helmets. They did not use any weapon in the crime. Kashyap said he did not resist because he knew how snatchers stab or open fire at their targets if they showed any resistance in their attempts,” the officer said, adding that Kashyap informed the police about the crime and a case of snatching was registered at the Keshavpuram police station.
Even as the district police teams were carrying out the legal formalities and investigation into the matter, around 2.30pm, the police control room was informed about another robbery at a rice merchant’s office in Maurya Enclave’s WP block, just about five kilometres away from the first crime spot.
The police team met the rice merchant, Rajneesh Jain, who told them that four unidentified men had arrived on two bikes and carried out the robbery.
Jain told the police that the robbers entered his office posing as customers and allegedly held him and his staff hostage under gunpoint. The robbers then allegedly forced him to open the almirah, took out ₹42 lakh and fled on their motorcycles. The four accused were wearing helmets so their faces were not visible, another police officer said, quoting Jain’s statement.
Deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Usha Rangnani said the two crimes were committed by two sets of criminals, as the modus operandi were different. “Our teams have got certain clues in both the cases and are working on them. The suspects will be caught soon,” she said.
Investigators said that they have not ruled out the role of an “insider” in the cases as the robbers knew about the cash and where it was kept.
Delhi Police’s statistics show that the city witnessed 3,829 snatching and 942 robbery cases till June 15 this year. Last year during the same period, 2,612 snatchings and 701 robberies were reported.
