Robbers strike in GK-1, thrash 67-yr-old woman

NEW DELHI: In a shocking incident at posh R block area of Greater Kailash I in south Delhi, a 67-year-old senior citizen was brutally attacked by four unidentified men who then ransacked the entire house before fleeing with valuables worth lakhs of rupees. The Greater Kailash police have registered a case of robbery. Even as victim Satwant Kaur remained admitted in a private hospital at Pamposh Enclave, the local police station continued to claim that it was the result of a "minor quarrel.''
According to the victim's grandson Ramnik Singh, Kaur lived in the ground floor of the house along with her son, Harvinder Pal Singh Bhandari, a transporter.At the time of the incident, Kaur who reportedly did not employ a domestic help was alone in the house.
"My grandmother was told by my uncle Harvinder that a mechanic would come during noon to repair the air-conditioner. Therefore, when the bell rang around 2.30pm, she opened the door without hesitation,'' said Ramnik.
According to Shalini Singh, DCP, south east, three men barged into the house. "They began beating her up mercilessly. After the woman fell on the floor, they used her own dupatta and tied her to a chair. They also gagged her mouth so that she could not raise an alarm. The assailants then removed the jewellery from her body and ransacked the entire house before walking out unnoticed,'' said DCP Singh.
Family members of Kaur alleged that she was hit with a heavy object as a result of which she lost consciousness for more than two hours. The DCP however, denied the allegations.
The family said they were yet to calculate the losses. Police sources said that it could run into lakhs. "Around 5.30pm, the washerman came and rang the bell. When he did not get a response, he rang the bell again. My grandmother could make a feeble noise. The washerman got alarmed and called the maid who works upstairs. It was they who informed Harvinder in his office. She was then rushed to the hospital,'' said Ramnik.
The police said they have certain leads on the case. "We will wait for the victim to recover and then record her statement. We will try to draw a sketch of the accused and will be questioning all those who visit this house,'' said DCP Singh. Joint commissioner (southern range) Ajai Kashyap said special teams have been formed to nab the accused.
Ramnik alleged that such incidents were becoming common in the area. "There was a similar incident in the house of a television actress a few blocks away a year ago. Even my car's stereo system and other important components were stolen about a week ago,'' he claimed.