India News | Pragati Maidan Robbery: Police Scan Footage from over 350 CCTV Cameras to Identify Culprits

New Delhi, Jun 26 (PTI) Footage from over 350 CCTV cameras has been scanned in the last 48 hours to identify the four motorcycle-borne men who allegedly robbed a delivery agent and his associate of Rs 2 lakh at gunpoint inside the Pragati Maidan tunnel, Delhi Police officials said on Monday.

The staff of the delivery agent's company, his employer and associates have also been questioned in connection with the incident that took place on Saturday, they said.

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The delivery agent of Omiya Enterprises, Chandni Chowk, and his associate were robbed of Rs 2 lakh when they were going towards Gurugram in a cab to deliver the money, according to police.

"We have scanned footage from more than 350 CCTV cameras installed along the route towards the Pragati Maidan tunnel and the way ahead to ascertain the route taken by the assailants after carrying out the robbery.

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"Though CCTV cameras captured the incident clearly, we could not see the faces of the motorcycle-borne robbers as they were wearing helmets. The identity of the accused is still being ascertained," a senior police officer said.

The police suspect the involvement of more than four people in the robbery and said they have got clues regarding the modus operandi of the accused.

"We suspect six people were involved in the robbery. Though the involvement of the four accused has been established through the CCTV footage, the probe so far has revealed that the robbery was executed on the directions of someone else who could be an insider and knew that the victim was carrying a huge amount of cash on that particular day," he said.

A 22-second video of the incident received by police appears to show that the four men were tailing the cab on two motorcycles and intercepted it inside the tunnel as other vehicles passed by.

As the cab stopped, the two men riding pillion got down from their respective motorcycles. While one of them quickly went towards the driver's seat, the other went towards the rear door of the car, both apparently whipping out their pistols. All four were wearing helmets.

The footage then showed both the car gates open and the man at the rear door being handed over a black handbag, apparently containing the money. The two then quickly hopped onto the waiting motorcycles and fled with their accomplices.

Officials said the incident was caught in one of the CCTV cameras installed inside the 1.5-km tunnel that connects New Delhi with Sarai Kale Khan and Noida.

A case has been registered under sections 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code in the matter, according to police.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)