An elderly resident who was alone at his Narendrapur home was tied up, gagged and threatened with murder by a group of men who looted cash and valuables on Saturday afternoon, police said.
Two men, including the family’s driver, have been arrested. “The driver, who had been working for the family for 10 years, seems to be the mastermind,” an officer at Narendrapur police station said.
Brindavan Singha Roy, 67, was alone at his home in Narendrapur’s Mission Pally, on the southern fringes of the city, when the gang struck. “His wife and son had gone to Burdwan to attend a family function on Saturday,” the officer said.
“Singha Roy had just completed his daily puja and was about to eat lunch when he found two-three men had entered his home. One of them held a knife at his neck,” the officer said.
The men, who had their faces covered, threatened the elderly person with death and then tied his hands and gagged him. He was then pinned to the bed.
The police said the “operation” lasted for around two hours.
According to Singha Roy’s complainant, the men took away ornaments and more than Rs 3 lakh in cash.
“The robbers came walking and entered the house without making any sound. As they left, the elderly man managed to free his hand and ungagged himself. He screamed to alert his neighbours. As the robbers did not have any vehicle, neighbours caught one of them a few hundred metres from the house,” said an officer.
The man who was caught has been identified as Nazmul Hossain Sheikh.
“Nazmul said while being questioned that they had been tipped off about the house by the family driver. The driver has been arrested, too. A search has been launched for the remaining members of the group,” said deputy superintendent of police, enforcement branch, Baruipur police, Mohit Mollah.
The police said the driver had allegedly told the gang that the elderly man was alone at home and his family was away in Burdwan.
