Posing as cops, robbers hold Ludhiana family hostage

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 24

In a broad daylight robbery, six armed assailants posing as Gujarat policemen held three members of a family hostage and robbed them of cash and jewellery worth Rs1 crore. According to the victims, the miscreants took away 2 kg gold, Rs10 lakh cash and other valuables.

The armed assailants entered the house of telecommunication trader Raj Kumar Agnihotri at Model Town here around 12:10 pm. The accused introduced themselves as policemen from Gujarat and told the security guard deployed outside the house that they came to interrogate Agnihotri in an old case.

The accused overpowered the guard, Budhram, and locked in a room. They gathered all family members – Agnihotri’s wife Pushpa Devi and daughters-in-law Hinna and Isshu — at one place. The robbers warned them not to raise alarm or they would shoot them. They took away cash and jewellery and a safe, they failed to break open, which contained some valuables. They escaped in a Maruti Swift car.

Agnihotri and his family are followers of controversial godman Asaram. They were even questioned by the police for allegedly providing shelter to Asaram’s son Narayan Sai in December 2013.

Jatinder Singh Aulakh, Commissioner of Police, said: “During preliminary investigation, we found that someone among the accused was known to the family. They were aware that the family had some pending matter with the Gujarat police during the arrest of Narayan Sai. They were also aware that only women would be in the house during the daytime. We will crack the case soon.”