Two arrested for robbing home-alone woman in Bengaluru

Police arrested two men who barged into the house of a woman living alone and robbed a gold chain and other valuables in Bagalgunte on Tuesday.

The arrested have been identified as Rakesh Gowda (20), a resident of Mahalakshmi Layout, and Irfan Khan (23), a resident of Manjunathanagar.

The police also recovered the stolen valuables of the victim Sangeetha (28), including a gold chain, earrings and rings, which the accused had pawned with a private financier.

Sangeetha told police that the two men entered the house in the excuse of asking for drinking water. When she went to fetch water, they moved inside, tied her up and gagged her. The men then took away her chain, ear rings and two rings.

Police started a robbery case and analysed CCTV footage from nearby areas. They stumbled on a bike the duo was using with a broken number plate. Two days later, they picked up Gowda and Khan from their residence. During interrogation, they learnt that the duo had known Sangeetha before. She worked at a beauty salon and spa in Malleswaram which they frequented.

It also emerged during questioning that Sangeetha had borrowed from the duo and was evasive about returning the money. On Tuesday, Gowda and Khan went to her house to demand the money back. But when Sangeetha created a ruckus, they tied her up and took away her valuables.

On being questioned by the police, Sangeetha admitted that she knew the men and was scared over her family chastising her on learning about her friendship with them.

Police produced Gowda and Khan before a magistrate who remanded them to judicial custody. “It wasn’t a robbery case as was thought before. It was an assault over money dispute resulting in snatching of chain and other valuables. We’ve taken up the case under appropriate sections of the IPC,” said N Shashikumar, DCP North Division.