‘Robbers knew valuables were kept in the car boot’

The fact that the armed men who attacked and robbed Mangal Omprakash Lodha, his brother and staff member while they were passing Ghatkopar on Sunday afternoon, had all the information on where the silver ornaments were kept in the car, has left the trio aghast. Pratik Salukne reports.

The fact that the armed men who attacked and robbed Mangal Omprakash Lodha, his brother Deepak and staff member, Jitendra Soni, while they were passing Ghatkopar (East) on Sunday afternoon, had all the information on where the silver ornaments were kept in the car, has left the trio aghast.

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Mangal, Deepak and Soni were on their way back from a business meeting in Vashi and were crossing Pramanik stores on Tilak road at around 3pm, when suddenly five armed assailants, travelling in a golden Innova car and on a bike, waylaid their car.

While one of the five men brandished a sickle and broke both the front glass panes, while threatening them to open the boot of the car, another fired two rounds from gun that he was carrying.

“The robbers threatened us and asked us to press the button near driver’s seat to open the boot of the car, which had silver valuables worth Rs.4.5 lakh,” said Mangal.

After collecting the valuables from the boot, the robbers escaped from the spot — three in the Innova and two on the bike.

Following this, the three men approached the Pant Nagar police. The police have collected finger prints from the car for investigation.

The Lodha brothers, however, could recollect only a part of the registration number of golden-coloured Innova in which the assailants had come.

This is the second such incident in the area in a span of two days. On Saturday, a gang of five looted two men of 1.4kg gold worth Rs.40 lakh and Rs.1.86 lakh in cash in Ghatkopar (East).

This has raised questions on the policing in the area.

“It does not appear that same gang is involved in both incidents, but we are investigating the cases,” said Suresh Nirmal, senior police inspector, Pant Nagar police station.