Lucknow : In Lucknow, the state capital, fearless robbers looted the billing operator in broad daylight in the electricity department’s power house in broad daylight. Two robbers who came wearing helmets have executed the incident. Five police teams have been deployed to nab the robbers. The police have got important leads about the robbers from the CCTV cameras installed in the colony. On the basis of that, the police teams are looking for the robbers. A report has been lodged against the unknown robbers at Ghazipur police station. The police have detained some people on the basis of suspicion.
In fact, a Public Facilitation Center CSC VLE (Community Service Center-Village Label Entrepreneur) is being operated for depositing the electricity bill in the power house located near the Indiranagar Sector-25 intersection. Billing operator Kalyanpur resident Rajesh Kumar Chaurasia was collecting electricity bills from the consumers at the Jan Suvidha Kendra on Saturday. Rajesh told that at around 4:40 in the evening, two youths wearing helmets entered the billing center through the back door.
A young man put a revolver on Rajesh’s temple and put a cloth over his face, then the other young man filled the cash kept in the counter in a bag and threatened to kill him for making noise, both ran away. Rajesh came out of the billing counter and informed the staff there about the matter. DCP North Kasim Abdi, ADCP North Abijith R Shankar reached the spot along with Crime Branch and FSL team as soon as they got information about the daylight robbery in the power house and started the investigation.
The FSL team has taken samples from the spot. Victim Rajesh told that he could not understand anything and the robbers looted the entire cash within five to seven minutes. He says that the cash was around eight lakhs. Reconciliation of the deposited bill is being done.
The robbers entered the room as soon as the staff left
Rajesh told that a window has been made in the billing counter to collect cash from the consumers. There is a door at the back, which is always locked from inside. Rajesh opened the door on Saturday evening at around 4:30 pm when a staff member of the sub-centre came to collect the cheque. He left after keeping the cheque, but Rajesh did not lock the door from inside, then both the robbers entered inside and ran away after looting the cash. Police is also investigating about that staff of that electricity department.
Both the robbers were already sitting in the sub-centre
An employee of the sub-centre told Rajesh that the robbers who had committed the crime were already sitting in the premises. Actually, those people were waiting for the gate at the back of the counter to open. As soon as the gate opened and the employee went back after depositing the cheque, both the robbers entered through the same gate. At present, the police is interrogating Rajesh.
Billing of lakhs without CCTV and security guard
For billing within the sub-centre, the Public Service Center Billing Operator operates on his own responsibility. On depositing one lakh rupees to the billing operator, a commission of Rs 350 is given by the electricity department. There are neither CCTVs nor security guards at this center. The billing operator told that this system of billing has been started in October. There is talk of installing CCTV cameras at the billing counter.
The robbers ran towards Munshi Pulia
There are two ways to escape from the scene. One road is closed due to overbridge on Ring Road. In such a situation, the robbers must have either fled from inside the colony towards Kukrail picnic spot or towards Munshi Pulia. Police is scanning the footage of CCTV cameras installed on both the routes. The victim says that the robbers fled on a bike, although it is discussed that they were from Activa. DCP North Kasim Abdi says that some clues have been found. The robbers will be caught soon.
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