Friday was a usual working day for 52-year-old Zuber Suleman Batliwala. At 11 pm it was time for him to close his mobile shop at an upmarket area in Mumbra. Just then, three men entered the shop on the pretext of buying mobile phones.
The trio pulled out choppers and country made pistols and demanded Batliwala to handover the entire cash and mobile phones. Presence of mind made Batliwala slyly call the police through his cell. One of the robbers saw this and fired at him with a country made pistol. Luckily it missed Batliwala's neck, leaving a deep gash.
The sound of the shot, however, alerted residents and passers-by who rushed towards the shop. Seeing the people, the three men started to run, but one of them was caught by the people. The other two made good use of the darkness to flee.
The police took the third robber in custody, who was later identified as Afsarali Shahjahanali. He is a resident of Bhivandi and informed that his accomplices were also residents of Bhivandi.
The police are on the look out for the two absconding robbers. The police is also trying to find out the involvement of the gang in similar robbery cases in the city since the last few months.
The police are on the look out for the two absconding robbers. The police is also trying to find out the involvement of the gang in similar robbery cases in the city since the last few months.
Meanwhile, Batliwala is recuperating at the JJ hospital and is out of danger.