OCTOPUS FORCE OUT TO HUNT THE SUSPECTS

In a first of a kind operation to hunt down armed robbers in the city, the elite Counter terror Octopus forces joined the Cyberabad Police on the pursuit to nab the suspects who targeted the Muthoot finance branch in Mailardevpally on Tuesday morning.

Cops who are probing if the suspects had connection with terror modules, called in the anti-terror squad. A police chase ended at Happy Homes apartment in Attapur on Tuesday late in the evening leading to some dramatic moments unfolding with officials suspect seven armed robbers hiding in the building. Multiple CC TV footages collected from roads at Mailardevpally indicated the robbers moving in an SUV towards Attapur and eventually parking at the lot of the apartment.

Earlier in the December Muthoot heist also, police found that the suspects had connection with the Mumbai underworld and they also used weapons in the robbery.

The car used by the suspects in Muthoot robbery attempt was traced to the premises of Happy Homes apartment in Attapur. Four unidentified men armed with pistols, knives and a hacksaw targeted a Muthoot Finance branch located less than half-a-kilometre from the police station in Mailardevpally on Tuesday morning.

Branch manager Mr Abdul Latheef S. rushed to a window and started screaming, while a woman employee pressed the emergency alarm.

The building owner and workers from a nearby construction site rushed to the office. Unnerved by this unexpected turn of events, the robbers rushed to the exit, threatened the people coming to the rescue, and sped away in a waiting car.

Latheef arrived at around 9.45 am and he welcomed the first customers of the day.

“They asked for a loan against the gold jewellery and I assured them that they can get loan, but they should produce their Aadhar card as proof.” he said.

What happened in the next few moments was something which he never even had dreamt of in his bad dreams.

“Two persons jumped on to the counter. When I started shouting, they closed the window and pinned me to the wall and aimed a pistol at me,” Mr Latheef recalls.

“Hearing my screams, a few people came to help, but the suspects threatened them with knives and escaped,” he added.

According to the police, seven persons participated in the attempted robbery. Four entered the office while three sat in the car (TS 07EB 3711) that wasparked nearby. The car was spotted moving towards Aramghar, a senior Cyberabad police official said.