Guard shot at, Rs 12 lakh looted from cash van

NEW DELHI: Armed robbers looted Rs 12 lakh from a cash van after shooting at a security guard in northwest Delhi on Friday evening. The incident took place exactly a month after robbers cleaned out Rs 19 lakh from a vehicle carrying cash in Rohini.
Police suspect that both robberies have been committed by the same group of criminals. Police teams from outer and northwest Delhi are jointly working to nab the culprits.
Around 4.30pm on Friday, a cash van stopped outside an SBI ATM in Bhalswa Dairy. There were three persons in the vehicle, including the armed guard. As soon as the guard got off the van, two men on a bike pulled over and asked them to hand over the bag containing cash. The criminals took out a gun and threatened to open fire at the three men.
When the guard resisted and tried to snatch the pistol from one of the robbers, the former was shot in his abdomen. The robbers then fled, threatening the bystanders. Police were alerted soon after and the guard was rushed to hospital where he was operated upon. He is under observation.
The cops are trying to ascertain whether an insider had given a tip-off to the criminals. They are also scanning the profiles of all present and former employees of the firm, which is involved in replenishing cash at ATMs.
Police are keeping an eye on criminals, who are out on bail apart from gangs operating in Samaipur Badli, Kanjhawala and Najafgarh, which are on the Delhi-Haryana border. Criminals from UP are also under the scanner.
CCTV footage from areas adjoining the crime spot are being analysed for clues.
DCP (northwest) Milind Dumbere said that an FIR had been registered and a manhunt launched to arrest the assailants.
On May 23, two armed robbers had executed a daring heist in Rohini. They had shot at the custodian, spread chilli powder in the vicinity and made away with cash around Rs 19 lakh. The incident had taken place around 3pm in Rohini’s Sector 24.
The criminals wearing helmets had executed the heist in less than 2 minutes. The vehicle was parked near a Union Bank ATM to replenish cash. The robbers, it seems, were following the van.
The custodian was standing with the bag when the robbers appeared on the scene and tried to snatch it. When he resisted, one of them whipped out a pistol and shot at him. Seeing them run amok, the van’s security guard fired two round but the robbers escaped unhurt.