Jalandhar, October 27: An elderly man was allegedly robbed of ₹7,200 in broad daylight near the Basti Bawa Khel canal in Jalandhar after a young woman approached him and engaged him in conversation. According to the victim, the woman initially behaved in a friendly manner before several men arrived at the location and allegedly took his cash. The incident was reportedly captured on a nearby CCTV camera, and a complaint has been submitted to the police seeking action against those involved.
The elderly man stated that he was sitting near the canal when an unidentified young woman approached him and began talking. During their conversation, she allegedly told him that she liked him and attempted to get physically close to him. The victim claimed that he was taken by surprise by her behaviour and had little reason to suspect that the encounter would lead to a robbery.
According to the complainant, another individual arrived while the woman was still speaking to him. Shortly afterwards, two more men reportedly appeared at the location. The elderly man alleged that the individuals confronted him and forcibly took ₹7,200 from his possession before leaving the area. He also sustained an injury to his hand during the incident, although the extent of the injury has not been confirmed.
The reported robbery attracted attention after CCTV footage from the surrounding area emerged. The recording is said to show the woman approaching the elderly man and engaging him in conversation before other individuals arrive. The footage could provide investigators with important clues about the sequence of events and the identities of those allegedly involved. However, the exact roles of the individuals seen in the recording will need to be established during the police investigation.
Following the incident, the victim raised concerns about the loss of his money and demanded action against the suspects. The circumstances described by him have raised questions about whether the woman and the other individuals were acting together. Although the complainant believes he was deliberately targeted, their alleged coordination has not yet been independently established.
Former Jalandhar West MLA and BJP leader Sheetal Angural subsequently visited the location after learning about the incident. He met the elderly man and accompanied him in approaching the police to submit a complaint. Angural also raised concerns about public safety in the constituency and urged the authorities to address criminal activity affecting local residents.
According to the available information, the police station in-charge assured the complainant that an FIR would be registered and appropriate action taken after examining the matter. The police are expected to review the available CCTV footage and the victim's statement to establish the circumstances of the incident. However, confirmation of an FIR number, arrests or recovery of the stolen cash was not available at the time of preparing this report.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of elderly residents in public places. Cases involving allegations of deception and theft can leave victims facing financial loss and anxiety, particularly when they are approached unexpectedly by strangers. The reported involvement of multiple individuals makes it important for investigators to establish whether the encounter was planned or resulted from a spontaneous confrontation.
For now, the elderly man's complaint remains the central account of the alleged robbery. Police action and examination of the CCTV recording will be important in identifying the suspects and determining what happened near the Basti Bawa Khel canal. Further developments are awaited as authorities examine the allegations.
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