Robbers knew GK-1 house well
The robbers who struck at a two-storey house in Greater Kailash-1 knew about the house's geography.
The robbers who struck at a two-storey house in Greater Kailash-1 knew about the house's geography.
Before entering the room of the elderly couple, the robbers made sure that other members of the family could not come out of their rooms by locking their doors from outside. After breaking the lock of the main door, the robbers first did a recce of the house then took the elderly couple hostage.
"My parents live on the ground floor, while my brother lives on the first. I live at the second floor and got to know about the incident when my servant informed me through the intercom. It was the 45-minute trauma that hurt us more, rather than the money and jewellery the robbers took away. My parents who are heart patients were kept at knifepoint, which could be horrible experience for anyone," said Bhaskar Bansal, son of 65-year-old SP Bansal, who along with his wife, was held hostage while the robbers ransacked the house.
"We have some clues and are working on it. The robbers held family hostage for about half an hour. They said robbers took cash, jewellery, two mobile phones (one of which was a blackberry) worth R2 lakh," Virender Chahal, joint commissioner of police (southeast) said. "It was the most horrible experience of my life. I am glad they didn't harm anyone," said Sneha Bansal, wife of SP Bansal.
The robbers even broke into a nearby house but as they didn't find anything there, struck at the Bansals'.
During their stay in the house, the robbers kept threatening the elderly couple. "When I was unable to remove my diamond ring, one of them said to cut my finger. They kept saying that if I raised any alarm, they would kill my grandchildren," 65-year-old Sneha said. They took a bottle of wine from the first floor and a wallet and then locked it from outside, Bhaskar said.
The robbers scaled the boundary wall and broke open the main gate to enter the house. "After that there is a staircase to go to the first and second floors which is also the ground floor's entry. The robbers first went to the first floor and locked it and then returned to ground floor," Bhaskar added.
BlackBerry may lead to gang
Their fascination for BlackBerry phone could lead to the arrest of the robbers who struck a house in GK-1 on early Saturday. Believed to be members of the infamous Katcha-Baniyan gang, the robbers decamped with two phones besides cash and other valuables. One of the phones is a BlackBerry. It is almost after seven years that the Katcha-Baniyan gang has struck in Delhi.
The gang, whose members are known for committing crime in their vests and briefs, is quite active in Uttar Pradesh and had created menace in Delhi till 2004.
“The robbers have also taken two phones with them. We have taken the IMEI number of those phones and put it on surveillance. One phone is BlackBerry, which can be tracked easily. The phone is switched off at the moment but we have got the location of the place where the phone was active before being switched off,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.
According to sources, two labourers from a nearby construction site are missing and police are suspecting their involvement in the crime.
Besides, the police have shown photographs of gang members to the house members and Sneha Bansal has identified one of them. Though their faces were covered, one of them had removed his mask and Sneha saw her. We are preparing his sketch," the officer added.
The police, however, are tightlipped over the fact that it could be the return of Katcha-Baniyan gang. “It is too early to say but the modus operandi is same. The gang members generally attack during wee hours and have their faces covered. They wear vests and briefs and put oil all over the body so that in case someone catches them, they can manage to give a slip,” the officer said.
Break-ins rock GK
Two incidents of break-ins in a span of an hour jolted the residents of B-block of Greater Kailash-1. Fearing for their lives and valuables, the residents have now decided to pool in money and hire one guard for each house. “The place is open for everyone ever since the construction of a drain begun. There is only one guard for the whole area. We have called for a meeting on Sunday to discuss the possibility of installing CCTV cameras,” said VP Tondon, president of B-block resident welfare association.
After their house was ransacked on Saturday, the Bansals decided to hire a guard for the house. “I will talk to other residents about a guard for each house,” said Bhaskar Bansal, whose house was robbed on Saturday morning.
Police said the robbers went to the adjacent B-276 before targeting the Bansals’ house. “That house belongs to Ramesh Kakkar, but he got to know about it only in the morning. The robbers had entered through the window,” said Rajnish, a nearby residents.
Residents said there were no restrictions on the entry hawkers and labourers, making the area more vulnerable. “Police personnel are always present at the main road. This incident happened at the back- end of the colony, where police presence is less. A PCR van might help. Residents should also put gates so that no one can enter at night,” said a police officer.rock GK-I residents