Five held for robbery at social club, stripping patrons in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Five people have been arrested by the Banashankari police for an alleged robbery at social a club and for attacking and stripping a group of patrons, police officials said on Saturday.

The arrested are Praveen, Manohar, Srikanth, Franklin Suresh and Suri. They were in their late twenties and early thirties and were from in and around Bengaluru, including Anekal and Kanakapura in the Ramanagara district.

“Praveen had three previous cases registered against him at Bannerghatta and Adugodi police stations,” a police investigator told DH. “Another suspect, who we believe was an insider and supplied the other suspects with information, is at large. His identity is withheld for now as the probe is underway.”

The incident occurred on March 31 at the BVK Club on 9th Main, Banashankari 2nd Stage when a group of 13 friends had gone there to drink alcohol and gamble. The police said the assailants fled with Rs 10 lakh in cash, 700 grams of gold ornaments, and the victims’ mobile phones.

According to the FIR, the victims heard a knock on the door around 6 pm. When they opened it, the assailants — wearing masks and caps and armed with machetes — forced their way inside.

Ramesh T, the complainant, alleged that one of the attackers struck one of his friends on the hand with the handle of a machete. The assailants ordered the victims to remain silent and assaulted some of them, the FIR noted.

They then robbed them of Rs 10 lakh in cash, 700 grams of gold ornaments, and their mobile phones. “They forcibly undressed us and locked us inside the room,” Ramesh told the police. “They even took our clothes while escaping.”  A separate case was also registered against the establishment in connection with the gambling.