Lucknow: Robbers gun down tobacco firm employee, flee with bag of cash

LUCKNOW: A 52-year-old employee of a wholesale firm dealing in tobacco products was shot dead when he tried to resist robbers at the office in Pandeyganj, 150 metres from Yahiyaganj police outpost, on Thursday.
The motorcycle-borne assailants took away a bag full of cash, firing multiple rounds in the air.


Chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the victim’s family.
The incident took place at 1.30pm when the entire staff was working despite a weekly off to update accounts. Those present in the office included owner Ram Niwas Agarwal, his brother Lalta Prasad and four employees – Shriram, Khemchandra, Ritesh Agarwal and Subhash Gupta.
“Four persons – two of them wearing helmets and others having their faces covered with handkerchiefs and heads with winter caps – stormed into the office and asked employees to hand over cash,” Agarwal informed police.
“When Subhash Gupta, who does odd jobs in the office, confronted the criminals, one of them shot him in the chest. While Gupta slumped to the ground, the robbers escaped with the cash bag, firing at least six rounds in the air,” he said. Agarwal, however, did not specify the amount looted from the office.
“Initially, the criminals were about to take away two bags but left the heavier one when I told them it contained keys,” Agarwal added.
Gupta was rushed to KGMU’s trauma centre where he died during treatment.
He is survived by his wife and two children, a 12-yearold daughter and an eight-year old son. The incident led to commotion and traffic was thrown out of gear for some time. State minister Brijesh Pathak also visited the spot.
SHO, Chowk, Vishwajeet Singh said, “The businessman has not disclosed the looted amount. We have recovered CCTV camera footage and are tracing the miscreants.”
Meanwhile, one of the bullets fired in the air hit a pigeon. The building in which the firm’s office is located is home to many pigeons. The locals later buried the bird.