Vadodara: The city crime branch on Wednesday arrested three men for allegedly robbing an elderly couple at their residence in the Sama area earlier this week. The accused — Balkarsingh Singh, Balwinder Sandhu and Mudassir Ahmed Mir — allegedly barged into the house of TP Radhakrishnan on Monday afternoon when he was resting. They threatened Radhakrishnan and his wife with a knife before robbing them of gold ornaments and cash.
Investigation and Arrests
Police said CCTV footage from the area provided crucial clues about the motorbike used by the suspects. Acting on this lead, officers tracked down Singh and Sandhu from Chhani Road and questioned them. During interrogation, they revealed that Mir was the mastermind behind the crime. "Mir planned the robbery and roped in Singh and Sandhu," a police official said. The crime branch subsequently arrested Mir from Sabarkantha. Police said Mir has several chain snatching cases against in Vadodara while Sandhu was booked in cheating and criminal conspiracy cases.
Planning and Execution
Investigators said Mir had earlier carried out a recce in Santoshinagar Colony to identify a house occupied only by senior citizens. He reportedly learnt about Radhakrishnan's residence while overhearing a conversation at a tea stall in the area, where people mentioned that the couple lived alone and possessed significant jewellery. After confirming that the colony remained quiet during afternoons, Mir shared the plan with Singh and Sandhu.
On Monday, the trio reached the colony on Sandhu's motorbike. While Sandhu waited outside with the vehicle, Mir and Singh approached Radhakrishnan's house and knocked on the door. When Radhakrishnan opened it, the duo engaged him in conversation, asking whether he had voted in the elections. When he said he did not have a voter ID and therefore could not vote, the men suddenly pushed him inside the house. Hearing the commotion, his wife rushed out of her room, but the accused brandished a knife and threatened the couple.
Robbery and Aftermath
The duo then robbed gold ornaments worth about Rs 12 lakh and some cash before fleeing. They also locked the couple in a room to prevent them from alerting neighbours. Police said the accused later withdrew cash using a debit card found in the house. All the stolen jewellery and the debit card have been recovered, officials said.
