Domestic help, 4 others held for robbery

The Delhi Police have busted a gang who used to rob houses by first getting employed there as servants. On Tuesday evening, the gang held a woman hostage at her Maurya Enclave house in northeast Delhi and fled with cash and jewellery.

The Delhi Police have busted a gang who used to rob houses by first getting employed there as servants. On Tuesday evening, the gang held a woman hostage at her Maurya Enclave house in northeast Delhi and fled with cash and jewellery. Five persons have been arrested, including the domestic help, who was employed just a week ago.

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"The domestic help identified as Sanjay Mukhiya was planted so that he can spill details like the place where cash and valuables were kept," Meenu Choudhary, DCP (northwest), said. The gang’s mastermind Pradeep is still absconding.

On Tuesday, around 3:30pm, housewife Veena Manchanda, 48, was held hostage and her house was ransacked by six persons, including the 19-year-old Mukhiya. According to police, Mukhiya had told the robbers that Veena was alone and allowed them to enter the house. "They tied her and fled with Rs 13.25 lakh in cash, gold and silver jewellery, two laptops and foreign currency," said a senior police officer. Apart from the servant, the arrested have been identified as Umesh, Ranjeet Kumar and Suraj. A minor has been arrested too.

So far, the police have recovered Rs 7.26 lakh cash, gold and silver jewellery, foreign currency worth Rs 60,000, 10 watches, two laptops, a video camera and one mobile phone from the men.

"The servant forcibly took the keys from Veena and took out all the cash and jewellery. They even damaged the landline phone so that Veena does not call the police immediately," Choudhary said. The domestic help had not been verified by police. Earlier, Pradeep had employed two domestic helps at the same house, but had failed to rob the house.