With the arrest of seven people, the Delhi Police have successfully solved a robbery case that occurred inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel in the national Capital over the weekend. The incident, captured on CCTV cameras, involved four armed robbers on motorcycles forcefully stopping a car and stealing a black bag from it before fleeing the scene.
The victims of the robbery were identified as Patel Sajan Kumar, a delivery agent for a private company, and his associate. They were en route to Gurugram with a bag containing Rs 2 lakh in cash when the four robbers on two motorcycles intercepted their cab, brandishing firearms, and snatched the money at gunpoint.
The accused have been identified as Usman Ali alias Kallu, Irfan, Sumit alias Akash, residents of Burari; Anuj Mishra alias Sanki, a resident of Bhalaswa Dairy; Kuldeep alias Lungad, a resident of Jahangirpuri; Pradeep alias Sonu, a resident of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh; and Amit alias Bala, a resident of Loni in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, police said. They were following the taxi and chose to stop it inside the tunnel as they had a higher chance of success to execute the robbery. People usually do not stop in tunnels and drive through them at speed, according to police.
The victims had booked the taxi from Red Fort and when it entered the Pragati Maidan tunnel, the four men waylaid the vehicle, they said. Police said the victims tried to resist, but the accused snatched a bag, containing the cash, at gunpoint and fled.
The police revealed that the robbery was orchestrated by a man named Usman, who was driven by the need to settle his debts. The Pragadi Maidan tunnel was strategically chosen to minimize any potential resistance. This 1.5 km tunnel connects New Delhi with Sarai Kale Khan and Noida.
Usman, a resident of Burari and a delivery agent, was well acquainted with the flow of cash in the Chandni Chowk area due to his extensive work there. In order to alleviate his financial burdens, he devised a robbery plan and enlisted the help of his cousin, Irfan. Anuj Mishra, also known as Sanki, Kuldeep, alias Lungad, and Sumit, alias Akash, were recruited as additional accomplices. Sumit, a vegetable vendor, accompanied Usman during the reconnaissance mission around Chandini Chowk, while Anuj, a mechanic at the Delhi Jal Board warehouse, operated one of the motorcycles used in the robbery.
The accused individuals initially failed to find a suitable target in the Chandni Chowk area on June 22 and June 23. However, on June 24, they identified a person whom they believed was carrying a bag filled with cash and followed him to the Pragati Maidan tunnel. CCTV footage of the incident captured four men intercepting a car within the tunnel. As the car came to a stop, two helmet-wearing individuals disembarked from their motorcycles.
One approached the driver’s side while the other targeted the rear door, with all of them brandishing their pistols. The robbers quickly fled the scene on their motorcycles, absconding with the black bag containing Rs 2 lakh in cash. Stolen motorcycles were utilized by the accused to execute their plan. Through diligent examination of the CCTV footage and other vital clues, the Delhi Police successfully apprehended all those involved in the robbery scheme and seized two motorcycles, a firearm, and Rs 5 lakh in cash.
