Gurugram: Lift and loot gang again? Man robbed of Rs 35,000, gold chain

GURUGRAM: A man was robbed of Rs 35,000 and a gold chain after taking a lift from Rajiv Chowk on Friday. He was waiting for public transport for a ride to New Delhi when the accused came in a taxi and offered to drop him at his destination.
The incident was an indication that the lift-and-loot gang has once again become active in Gurugram. This was the second such incident in the past week. The gang targets people waiting for transport on the Delhi-Gurugram expressway in the late evening hours.
Somdat, a resident of Bhondsi, was waiting for a bus at Rajiv Chowk when a taxi came near him and offered a lift. Four people, including the driver, were already inside the taxi. The driver told him that he was on his way to Delhi and offered to drop him. Somdat agreed to board the taxi. After crossing Sukhrali, the accused snatched his money, some jewellery and his mobile phone at gunpoint.
“They robbed me and threw my mobile phone. Later, they threw me out of the taxi near Jharsa chowk,” said Somdat, adding that he sustained minor injuries and with the help of a passerby, he managed to call the police.
Based on his complaint, a case was registered under section 379A (snatching) and 34 (common intention) of IPC at Shivaji Nagar police station.
Earlier on June 8, a dairy owner on the way to Rajasthan was robbed of Rs 2.6 lakh at gunpoint by three unidentified men. He was offered a lift from Rajiv Chowk. Harun Qureshi (55), a resident of Sector 11, owns a dairy and deals in selling and buying of cattle. Qureshi had to travel to Kotputli in Rajasthan, 125km from Gurugram, to make payments to a cattle dealer.
Multiple incidents of lift and loot were reported in 2019. In all such incidents, the accused offered a lift to people waiting for transport on the Delhi-Gurugram expressway. In most of the cases, the victims were picked from IFFCO Chowk and Rajiv Chowk. Police had bused a few gangs in 2019. However, new gangs have mushroomed in Gurugram. “The lift-and-loot incidents stopped after we had arrested several gangs. But, new incidents have been reported and we are keeping an eye on them. Our teams are working to track the accused,” said ACP (crime) Preet Pal Sangwan.