One accused is on the run.(Representational Photo)
The Vadodara rural police on Sunday arrested four persons for allegedly looting a provision store owner.
One accused is on the run.
According to the police, the five accused – Arif Malek, Hanif Sheikh, Asif Malek, Baseerbhai Malek and Yasin Malek – who reportedly worked with a local news portal a month ago, looted the provision store owner after accusing him of violating lockdown orders. Yasin is on the run.
The complainant, Shaukat Albi, has stated that on Saturday night he had opened his small provision store at Ati village in Padra after a neighbour requested for some food items to cook for dinner. When he opened his store, five people arrived in a car and introduced themselves as reporters from a local news portal. Albi alleged that they claimed they were authorised by the police to make a list of people who were violating lockdown rules and accused him of selling tobacco and other non-essentials.
When Albi tried to put forth his point, the accused asked him to pay Rs 20,000 and go back home. When he resisted, one of the accused allegedly held him by his neck, while another opened his wallet and looted Rs 3,000 and stole tobacco packets from his shop and tried to flee, police said.
Meanwhile, the village sarpanch called up the police to verify if they had instructed anyone to check shops in the area. When the police denied, the villagers nabbed the accused and handed them over to the police. “The accused worked with a local news portal but were suspended a month ago. They were carrying outdated ID cards. One has fled to Tandalja which is a red zone. We are in touch with the city police to arrest him. The other accused have been sent for medical examination since they live very close to the red zone area,” said investigating officer A P Gadhvi.