Cops foil robbery bid at petrol pump; two held

Police on Friday night foiled a bid by two motorcycle-borne men to rob cash at a petrol pump in suburban Vikhroli thanks to an alert employee, a Mumbai Police official said on Sunday.

The arrested duo are identified as Nihal Harpal Singh alias King (22) and Abdul Rehman Shaikh (22).

They were also involved in a similar incident in suburban Andheri when they unsuccessfully tried to rob cash at a petrol pump earlier this month.

On Friday late night, King and Shaikh reached the petrol pump near Vikhroli and were waiting to strike at the opportune moment.

"They were taking out a pistol, which later turned out to be a fake one, and a sharp weapon when an employee of the petrol pump alerted the police by dialling a helpline number," the official said.

A patrolling team of police rushed to the spot and nabbed the fleeing duo after a brief chase, he said.

Police seized a toy gun, a knife, debit/credit cards in the name of others, a mobile phone handset, a spray, a motorcycle from the accused.