Noida: Man held for robbing elderly couple of cash, jewellery at gunpoint

The city police on Sunday arrested a man for his alleged involvement in robbing an elderly couple in Sector 50 area in November 2015.

The accused, Pratap Kumar, has over half a dozen criminal cases against him in Gautam Budh Nagar. Police said his accomplice, Surender Nagar, has already been arrested and is lodged in jail with over two dozen criminal cases pending against him.

Police said, on the evening of November 7, accused Pratap, Surender and their accomplice Rehan, who is still absconding, posed as potential tenants and gained entry to the residence of retired engineer Tej Bahadur Jain. The trio held Tej and his wife Aruna hostage at gunpoint and robbed them of Rs 50,000 cash, 11 gold chains and a Chevrolet Beat car. The car was later found abandoned in Noida. The incident had prompted protests from residents and raised questions over the safety of elderly couples living in the city.

“Pratap was on the run after committing the robbery in Sector 50. Multiple police teams were searching for him. On Sunday, Pratap was arrested during a checking drive in Sector 52 area,” said Dinesh Yadav, superintendent of police, Noida.

The police said Pratap is a member of a gang that was involved in the abduction of a student from Noida in 2013. The abductors had demanded a ransom of Rs 80 lakh. The boy, however, was recovered safely by the police and some of the gang members arrested.

“During questioning, Pratap confirmed his role in the robbery. We have recovered a gold chain, a ring, the mobile phone used in the crime, a countrymade pistol with live cartridges and a stolen bike from his possession. He said he randomly searched for a flat on rent from a property dealer posing as a tenant to commit the crime,” Yadav said.

He was produced before the court and sent to judicial custody. The police said they have launched a manhunt to arrest Rehan. “He is a resident of Kaila Bhatta locality in Ghaziabad. He will be arrested soon,” Yadav said.