Four days on, no headway in woman executive’s abduction

Though the police said they have increased the number of barricades and checkpoints across the city, the car carrying the victim could not be identified or stopped in its course on Thursday night.

Four days after a 40-year-old woman executive was allegedly pulled into a car from Iffco Chowk, driven around and robbed of her belongings, the police were yet to make any headway in the investigation on Monday. Police said at least five crime teams have been pressed into action, but the gang involved is yet to be identified.

Four days after a 40-year-old woman executive was allegedly pulled into a car from Iffco Chowk, driven around and robbed of her belongings, the police were yet to make any headway in the investigation on Monday. (Representative Image)(HT File)

Police said they suspected that a gang identified earlier, as being involved in another case, could have carried out this abduction as well, though the modus operandi in this case was slightly different. The police are also likely to release a sketch of the gang members.

Last Thursday, the woman was waiting for a cab to go to Delhi, when a car pulled over near her and a man gave her a chit asking for directions. When she looked at it, she was pulled into the cab—unlike other lift-and-loot cases in which the victims were offered a shared ride—beaten and her ring was taken as she did not have any money. She was kept in captivity for almost two hours before she being let off at Jharsa chowk, around six kilometres from where she was picked up.

“We have got some leads in this case, but we cannot disclose any development though we expect to solve this case soon. Five teams have been formed and deployed at various locations to get hold of the gang active on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway,” assistant commissioner of police (crime) Shamsher Singh said, adding that policemen have also been deployed in plain clothes at several spots believed to be frequented by such gang(s).

Singh said that a special meeting of crime units was convened last Friday and they were briefed. Dump data (compilation of mobile phone numbers active at a spot at a given time) was also picked up by the cyber crime cell to check location of the suspects.

Though the police said they have increased the number of barricades and checkpoints across the city, the car carrying the victim could not be identified or stopped in its course on Thursday night. It was a friend who informed the police on overhearing a conversation between the suspects and the victim, presumably over a chance call from the victim’s phone.