Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: A burglary attempt in northwest Delhi’s Pitampura was foiled on Monday afternoon when a 72-year-old woman and her 40-year-old daughter fought off two armed intruders. No arrests have been made yet.
Barely 500 metres away, another house was ransacked on Thursday, with the suspects fleeing with jewellery worth Rs 20 lakh.
Monday’s incident occurred at the KU Block home of a 75-year-old cable businessman, who lives with his wife, daughter and son (30). Around 1pm, a masked man wearing a helmet rang the doorbell, claiming to be a courier delivery agent. When the elderly woman opened the door, the intruder allegedly attempted to strangle her.
Hearing her mother scream for help, the daughter rushed out, only to be confronted by a second armed accomplice who pointed a pistol at her. However, before the men could take them hostage, the younger woman acted swiftly, pushing the attackers and managing to shut the door, forcing them to flee.
A case was registered at Maurya Enclave police station and an investigation is underway. Special commissioner of police (law and order) Ravinder Yadav has been asked to boost patrolling in the area.
Vikas Meena, a property dealer from the DDA market opposite the house, credited the women for raising the alarm. “The old woman screamed for help. The next thing we knew, many shopkeepers left their stores and joined the chase,” he said.
Goldy (30), a car dealer in the DDA complex, witnessed the incident. “I was outside my office when I saw a masked man run out, followed by the elderly woman shouting ‘chor, chor.’ My brother, our staff and I joined others in chasing him. Just a few houses ahead, two men on a silver bike, both wearing helmets, were waiting. He jumped on, and at least 8-10 people ran after them,” he said. The chase continued till a traffic signal, but the suspects zig-zagged through and escaped.
While some homes in the lane have private security guards stationed at the entrance, the house targeted on Monday didn’t have one at the time. However, when TOI visited the location on Thursday, a guard was present.
An elderly neighbour said, “These burglaries have become common. Just this week, I noticed two men in the opposite market watching our house closely. When I approached them to ask what they were doing, they quickly ran away. It seems burglars are very active in this area.”
On Thursday, 500 metres from KU Block, a burglary took place in G and JU Block, where a family of four woke up to find their home ransacked, their entrance gate’s lock broken, and Rs 20 lakh worth of jewellery missing.
Homeowner Ankur Bindal told TOI, “My wife, children and I were sleeping when it happened. We woke up around 6am to find our almirah looted and valuables gone. We are very scared for our safety.”
The couple’s 14-year-old daughter was sleeping alone in the living room. “I shudder to think what could have happened had she woken up. Are we supposed to live in fear?” said Ankur’s wife Shivani.
On March 25, two men allegedly attacked a 59-year-old man and his domestic helper outside a bank in Pitampura’s RP Block, looting Rs 30 lakh before fleeing. Earlier, on March 19, a septuagenarian couple was found brutally murdered in Kohat Enclave.
Mayank Rawat
