Delhi shopkeeper loses Rs 14 lakh in gunpoint heist in Model Town

New Delhi: Three unidentified men held up a 22-year-old shopkeeper at gunpoint and knife threat in northwest Delhi's Model Town on Friday, making off with Rs 14 lakh in cash, authorities reported Saturday. The bold daytime robbery marks the second such strike on a commercial outlet in the capital within seven days.

Model Town police station received an emergency PCR call about the crime Friday afternoon. Officers arrived promptly at the scene and launched a full probe into the matter.

The victim, Kartik, recounted to detectives that he sat inside his store viewing a film when the trio barged in. Posing as customers seeking an Aadhaar card mobile number update, they duped their way past the entrance.

Once inside, one suspect locked the shop door tight. A second jammed a pistol barrel against Kartik's temple, as the third shoved a blade to his throat, issuing grave warnings while they ransacked the place.

The robbers grabbed a bag stuffed with Rs 14 lakh before vanishing into the streets, according to police accounts.

Investigators filed charges immediately and mobilized units to hunt the perpetrators. They now comb through security camera recordings from the store and surrounding zones to pinpoint suspect movements and identities.

Specialized squads scour leads, with the inquiry pressing ahead at pace.

This holdup follows hard on another dramatic theft earlier in the week at Chandni Chowk's Kinari Bazar, where armed raiders swiped gold jewellery valued at roughly Rs 60 lakh from a veteran trader's outlet.

That February 25 attack unfolded at 1:34 p.m. amid the throngs of Anar Wali Gali, a tight, bustling artery in Delhi's prime wholesale jewellery hub.

Shop proprietor Ashok Kumar Chaurasia, a 30-year industry veteran, said his son manned the counter during the assault.

Witnesses and the complainant depicted a lightning-fast operation. The three intruders rushed the shop and pistol-whipped the clerk across the skull without hesitation.

As one subdued the stunned employee, a second stuffed cloth into the young owner's mouth to stifle cries. The third swept gold pieces from showcases in a blistering 14-second blitz, after which they melted into the crowd.

Delhi's merchant circles reel from the successive hits, blasting police for glaring protection failures.

Gota Zari Association head Pradeep Kumar Jain ripped into city law enforcement, noting the Model Town raid hit even under a blanket security advisory.

Cops pledged aggressive pursuit in both matters, deploying task forces to sift video evidence, technical traces, and clues aiming to nab the gangs.

(Inputs from IANS)