A gang of armed robbers, including two in police uniform, held a family in Modinagar hostage early Friday and fled with ₹2.35 lakh and jewellery items estimated to be worth ₹50 to 60 lakh. An FIR has been registered at the Modinagar police station.
The incident took place around 3AM on Friday when 45-year-old Samir Siddiqui was sleeping in his house at Kidwai Nagar and several men knocked on the door of the house. When his mother, Sanjeeda Khatoon, opened the door, five-six men barged in, oh which two were in police uniform.
“My mother was shocked to see the group of men along with two policemen. When she asked the reason, they said that there has been a case of ATM theft and the looted cash is suspected to be hidden at our house. Soon, the two men and the others came up to the first floor and knocked on the door of the room where I, my wife, our two children and my eight-year-old niece were sleeping,” Siddiqui said.
Siddiqui runs a factory in the Modinagar industrial area which is engaged in manufacturing weighing scales for commercial vehicles.
“I was taken by surprise and asked them the reason, or whether they had any search warrant. They said that a group of police were sitting at the house of the local councillor and had sent them for a search at my house. Soon, they started searching and opened up almirahs and started collecting cash and jewellery items. When I objected, they pointed guns towards my family. It was then that I realised they were robbers,” he added.
The gang later tied the hands of the family with cloth and pushed them into a room.
“The men were wearing masks usually used as a precaution for the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease. At least three of them had guns and one had an axe. He told us not to raise our voice, else they will kill my children – son aged two and daughter aged four years. We pleaded with them not to harm anyone and we will keep quiet. They took away ₹2.35 lakh in cash and jewellery which is estimated to be around ₹50-60 lakh. The jewellery belonged to my mother, my wife and my two sisters. I will give an assessment to the police,” he added.
According to the family, the robbers were in the house for about 30 to 45 minutes. They added that some locals came by during the early-morning prayer hours and were shocked to see the family tied up. The family was freed and the police were informed.
The police on their part maintained that there were four robbers and registered an FIR under IPC sections for robbery and cheating at the Modinagar police station.
It should be noted here that in an incident involving more than four robbers, a case of dacoity under IPC section 395 is to be registered. This section carries more stringent punishment.
“We lodged the FIR based on the complaint given by the family. If there are more than four robbers involved, we will add appropriate sections to the investigation. We visited the family to get details of the incident and teams have been formed to trace the criminals. So far, we have no clues. The estimate of the jewellery robbed will be given by the family,” said Sunil Kumar Singh, circle officer (Modinagar).
Two arrested for dacoity at Avantika
The police early Friday arrested two suspects who allegedly looted the family of a departmental store owner on the intervening night of August 22 and 23. The police identified the two suspects as Mohammad Suman, resident of Shastri Park, and Khurshid Alam, a resident of Mayur Vihar, both in Delhi.
Soon after the incident, police had levied IPC section 392 (robbery) to the initial FIR but they arrested the suspects under IPC section 395 (dacoity), 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 412 (dishonestly receiving property stolen in the commission of a dacoity).
“About three-four members of the gang are absconding and they will be arrested soon. We have recovered ₹21,500 which they looted from the house, and some documents. The gang targets houses near railway tracks,” said Abhishek Verma, superintendent of police (city).
The two suspects were arrested from the railway crossing near Avantika at 3am on Friday.
“The robbers who were arrested admitted that there were three-four other accomplices with them during the robbery. So, IPC section 395 (Dacoity) is now levied in the case,” Verma added.
