Cocking a snook at Delhi Police, two armed bike- borne robbers carried out a daring daylight heist in the busy Kamla Nagar area and robbed Rs1.5 crore from a cash van parked near an ATM. The robbers had come fully prepared and they first gunned down the security guard before looting the bag containing the cash. The incident occurred at around 11 am on Saturday when the personnel of a private agency were about to replenish an ATM of Citibank. Apart from the North district, police teams of Special Cell and Crime Branch too have been pressed into service to arrest the robbers.
Joint Commissioner of Police Central Range Sandeep Goel said that two masked men arrived at the spot in a pre-planned manner and shot the security guard who was posted there to ensure safety of the ATM. They pumped two bullets into him from a close range.The guard collapsed on the ground leaving his other colleagues shocked. Before they could regain their composure, the robbers lifted the bags containing cash and sped away. Those around the ATM centre just stood and watched as they started their black Pulsar bike and escaped unchallenged.
The police patrol vans parked in the North Campus reached the spot followed by the officials of North District. Special (CP) law and Order Deepak Mishra too reached the spot. Meanwhile the injured security guard was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, said a local police officer.
The security guard has been identified as Satender, who was carrying a double-barrel gun, but he did not get time to retaliate. The incident was captured by a local on his mobile phone and several CCTV cameras in the area. One of the eyewitnesses called up the police control room (PCR) and informed them about the robbery.
A case of murder and armed robbery has been registered at Room Nagar police station and investigation has been taken up. CCTV cameras installed near the crime spot are being scanned to establish the identity of the criminals and find other crucial leads pertaining to the case.The feisty robbers wore helmets with black visors to hide their faces. The incident has once again exposed the frailty of policing in the national Capital. Kamla Nagar is an area adjacent to the University of Delhi’s main campus and is largely occupied by students.
Investigations have revealed the robbers had prior information about the cash van and they had come prepared. The robbers were tailing the cash van of Scientific Security Management Services Pvt. ltd. The van started from Mansarovar Garden in West Delhi. The driver stayed back in the vehicle and two custodians — Deepak and Ghanshyam — were counting the money as they were supposed to refill Rs18 lakh in the machine installed at Kamla Nagar market ATM. In the meantime, the two assailants who were waiting to strike first shot Satender, the security guard. He was hit twice near his ear. As he slumped, the two custodians froze in fear.
Police say the robbery was carried out by professionals. Police teams are scanning the movements of certain gangs involved in similar such incidents in the past.Jolted by the daring robbery, Delhi Police top brass asked all the specialist wings of Crime Branch, Special Cell and district police to pool in their resources and bring the killers to justice. This incident is not an isolated one as robbers have been targeting ATMs installed across the city.
Earlier this week, unidentified men hauled off a Union Bank of India cash machine from West Delhi’s Narela and also snatched the CCTV cameras installed in the booth.