Goons rob cash, gold worth Rs 50 lakh at gunpoint

Armed men robbed a builder’s south Delhi home on Wednesday while holding him and his family hostage at gunpoint throughout the crime.

The total cash robbed from the house is being pegged at Rs 20-25 lakh. In addition, robbers decamped with gold jewellery. Police said they suspect the gold to be costing upward of Rs 20 lakh.

“A household help who had been employed by the builder only a few weeks ago has been missing after the robbery took place,” a police officer told this newspaper. He is the prime suspect in the crime and being hunted.

However, builder Jyoti Bhatia, 55, had not cared to get the servant’s identity verified with the local police station.

Police said the servant had been referred to Bhatia by an associate who is now being questioned by police to ascertain the suspect’s identity. None of the about half-a-dozen robbers has been identified yet.

Police are trying to gather clues from CCTV footage installed at the gate of the locality. The robbers had arrived in a car and were carrying at least one firearm.Bhatia lives with his family in pocket 2 of Jasola and has his construction business in Noida.

He explained to police that there was much cash and jewellery at his home due to his son’s wedding that took place two weeks ago. His son and daughter-in-law were away for their honeymoon.

Around 6.30 pm on Wednesday, the doorbell at his home rang. Two men gained initial entry on the pretext of going about repair work in the house.

Once they were in, three others too allegedly barged in and held Bhatia hostage at gunpoint while one of them waited in the car, said the officer.

Apart from Bhatia, his wife and mother were in the house at that time. The two women were allegedly tied with ropes which the robbers had brought with them.

After obtaining the keys of the safe, the robbers allegedly cleaned it of all the cash and gold. They then removed the jewellery worn by the two women before bolting the house from outside.

Once the victims emerged from their house with the help of neighbours, they contacted the area counselor who rang up police. Police are investigating the case.