Two loot cases solved, two arrested with weapons

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 13

The police claimed to have solved two cases of loot where money changers were targeted in the Basti Jodhewal and Daresi areas. Footage of CCTV cameras installed in a shop reportedly helped the police identify the robbers.

They have been identified as Akash Kumar, alias Ashu, of Bajrang Bihar, Basti Jodhewal; and Suraj Nahar of Cinema Mohalla, Salem Tabri. Both suspects are already facing several cases of loot at police stations here. One of their accomplices, Mukul, is yet to be arrested.

The police have recovered one sharp weapon, one .315-bore countrymade pistol, one toy pistol and Rs 10,000 from their possession.

Additional DCP Gurpreet Singh Sikand said in the first case, the suspects looted a money changer, Sanjiv Kumar Chadha, at Sardar Nagar, at gunpoint after barging into his shop on the night of October 16.

The ADCP said the shopkeeper had alleged that the robbers looted Rs 2.5 lakh, but during investigation, it was found that the robbers looted only Rs 96,000 and a mobile phone.

The ADCP said in the second case reported on the night of October 23, the suspects, armed with a countrymade pistol and a sharp weapon, barged into the money changer’s shop. They held shop owner Gyan Parkash and his two clients captive. The robbers had ransacked the shop for four minutes and the entire episode was captured in CCTV cameras.

Even in this case, the victim had told the police that robbers had taken away Rs 96,000, but, in reality, only Rs 32,500 was looted from the shop.

When asked if the police were taking action against the complainants for inflating the loot amount, Sikand said the police were mulling action against them.