Robbers open fire at businessman's house

Eight gunshots were fired during a failed robbery attempt by five masked men at a businessman’s house in east Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar on Sunday. One of the accused was overpowered and thrashed before being handed over to police. A country-made pistol has been recovered, police said on Monday.

The incident occurred at the house of 42-year-old Akhiruddin, who runs a factory manufacturing circuit breakers in east Delhi’s Ghazipur. He lives with his wife and four children -- a son and three daughters.

On Sunday evening, Akhiruddin was alone at the house. Akhiruddin’s son Zeeshan told Deccan Herald that other family members had gone to his grandmother’s house in the opposite building.

“Our relatives had come to visit my grandmother due to which we had gathered at her house,” said Zeeshan, a BBA second year student of Jamia Millia Islamia.

Akhiruddin told police that five men wearing monkey caps and armed with two pistols and three knives barged into the house at 9.15 pm. “The main door of the house was not bolted. The robbers threatened to kill Akhiruddin if he refused to handover cash and other items,” said a police officer.

The gang planned to tie up Akhiruddin. They almost managed to succeed, but failed when Akhiruddin’s wife Amina saw them from the opposite building. Amina raised an alarm. Noticing the commotion, Akhiruddin also pushed the robbers which forced them to flee.

“They opened fire while fleeing. I confronted them outside the building on which they fired at me as well. I escaped unhurt and managed to overpower one of them,” Zeeshan added.

The arrested accused has been identified as Nisar. On the basis of Akhiruddin’s statement, a case under Indian Penal Code has been filed with Shakarpur police station.

Akhiruddin told police that the robbers only managed to take his mobile phone and a folder containing some documents of his factory.

“The main door of the building is kept unlocked as we have given some rooms on rent,” Zeeshan said.

The family has denied personal enmity as a reason behind the attack. Currently, Police are questioning Nisar and analysing footage of CCTV cameras of the area.