Gang strikes factory, steals material worth ₹45 lakh at gunpoint
The factory owner’s complaint attracts IPC Section 394 as the two employees have not been able to confirm number of the suspects. ANSHU JAIN,
A group of unidentified men stole copper and lead items valued at ₹45 lakh from a factory adjacent to the Delhimeerut expressway after holding hostage two employees at gunpoint in the early hours of Friday.
The complainant, Anup Gupta, who operates Gupta Metal Works, a lead smelting unit spread over a plot of 1,000 square metres at south side GT Road industrial area, said at least 5.5 tonnes of copper and one tonne of lead were stolen. “It is a clear case of dacoity as the incident involved at least a dozen men. Some of them entered my factory at 3am on Friday. They held two of my employees, including a security guard, at gunpoint and tied them up and blindfolded them. Then, they called other accomplices and told them that the factory had enough raw material stored at the premises,” Gupta said.
The robbers already inside the factory opened the main gate and allowed a commercial vehicle inside, he added. At least 113 bags of copper and 31 heavy bars of lead were then loaded into the vehicle, Gupta said.
“The bags and bars were very heavy and it is not possible for a couple of men to lift them easily. So, the gang probably brought in a dozen men and took away the raw material. In all, I estimate the value of the material lost at ₹42 lakh or more,” Gupta said.
The police said they have formed several teams to trace the gang and are also scanning CCTV footage from the industrial area.
“The complaint given by the factory owner attracts only Indian Penal Code Section 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) as the two employees have not been able to confirm the number of persons who came to rob them. Further sections may be added later,” said Anshu Jain, circle officer (city 1).