Businessman looted of Rs.23.5 lakh in Ghaziabad

In a daring daylight crime, a motorcycle-borne robber Tuesday snatched a bag containing Rs.23.41 lakh from a businessman going to deposit it in the bank and fled, police said. The businessman said this was the second time he had been looted at the same place.

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. opposite Karhera branch of Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), when Rajendra Prasad, a distributor of a Delhi-based cigarette manufacturing company, came to deposit the cash. Since he was suffering from a leg ailment and could not walk properly, the businessman asked his driver Yogendra to do it instead.

As Prasad stepped out and handed over the bag containing cash to Yogendra, a motorcyclist with his face covered swiftly snatched the bag from the latter and fled.

The driver tried to chase the robber and started throwing stones at the robber but another robber armed with a pistol, who was keeping a watch at them, fired a shot at them, stopping him in his tracks. In the meantime, the first robber picked up his accomplice and both fled the spot.

The businessman called police and reported the crime. Senior police officers inspected the spot and instructed the Sahibabad police station in charge R.N. Yadav to register the case and to launch a hunt for the criminals.

Rajendra Prasad told police that it was the second such incident with him. About one and a half years ago, robbers looted Rs.4.63 lakh from him at the same place and in the same manner, while he was accompanied by the same drivern. That case has also not been solved till date.

The robbery Tuesday occurred despite two policemen were posted at the bank while a home guard and the bank's own security guard were around.

Superintendent of Police (City) Shiv Shankar Yadav said police have initiated a hunt to arrest the culprits. A criminal case has been registered against unidentified criminals.