After a recent spate of road accidents on the Yamuna Expressway, it is in news again for another wrong reason. This time, however, the blame goes to the authorities for inadequate security on the highway, as unidentified armed men robbed eight people travelling in an SUV on Tuesday morning.
This is the first reported incident of loot on the Yamuna Expressway. Police said that the SUV was waylaid on the service lane approaching the Expressway in Rabupura area of Greater Noida. The victims, who are employees of automobile manufacturing company Honda Cl in Greater Noida, were robbed of cash and other valuables.
Police said that the eight victims were on their way to work from Jewar town in the office vehicle. The cab ferried employees of the company on the route of Kalupura, Jhunna, Soware and Rustampur of expressway daily. On Tuesday around 5 am, the driver of the vehicle found the Rustampur service road approaching the expressway blocked by boulders. As the driver stopped the vehicle, three armed men came out from nearby bushes and overpowered the cab driver and employees at gunpoint. They then robbed them of their cash, mobile phones, watch and other valuable articles.
Some of the victims were beaten by the robber for resisting robbery. The miscreants threatened them of dire consequences if they informed the police. Jitender Tyagi, Raghuraj Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Banwari, Salim, Sanjiv and driver Vijay have been identified as victims. A complaint has been registered at the Rabupura police station and a manhunt has been launched, police said. The incident has come as a wake-up call for the local police and the Jaypee Group, the operator of the Yamuna Expressway, to enhance security on the highway and nearby approaching service lanes. At least 30,000 motorists use the Yamuna Expressway daily.