Six robbers loot Blueline passengers

Delhi's tryst with crime continues. On Wednesday night, six armed robbers looted passengers on a Blueline bus in Seelampur in the Northeast district.

Delhi's tryst with crime continues. On Wednesday night, six armed robbers looted passengers on a Blueline bus in Seelampur in the Northeast district. The robbery took place in not-quite-the dead-of night—9:45 p.m.—and merely 30 metres away from the office of the DCP(northeast).

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Armed with countrymade pistols, allegedly six assailants boarded the Blueline bus, pointed a gun at the driver and systematically looted cash, jewellery and five mobile phones from 35 passengers before taking off.

Police, however, claimed that only three robbers boarded the bus plying on route number 216 between Laxmi Narayan Mandir and Seema Puri.

But victims said the number of assailants were six. The incident occurred on the Seelampur flyover and the robbers are said to have boarded the bus near the Dharampura traffic signal.

“According to the bus driver, Atta Hussain, one assailant boarded the bus from the front door while the others got on from the rear door of the bus. After getting inside, the one who'd boarded the bus from the front door, pointed a gun at the driver and asked him not to stop and drive slowly. In the meantime, the other robbers brandished arms and asked passengers to hand over their valuables and mobile phones,” said S.S. Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast).

While police claim to have identified three of the suspected robbers, passengers alleged police reached the site late despite several phone calls. They also said the robbers were very aggressive.

“They snatched Rs.3, 500 from me and hit me with the butt of a revolver when I resisted," said Ramesh Kumar, a victim. Geeta Kumari, another passenger, said: "Two commuters fell unconscious after being hit by the robbers.”