Raipur: Raipur Police have cracked the Anupam Nagar robbery case just 48 hours after the incident, which took place in broad daylight in one of the city’s posh area. The perpetrators made off with cash and jewelry valued at over Rs 60 lakh from a residence while holding an elderly couple, Prem Velu (71) and Rajni Velu (67), and a family member, Manohar Velu (70), hostage at gunpoint.
The robbery occurred on the day of the urban body elections, with heavy police presence in the area. Authorities have identified a retired Border Security Force (BSF) officer, Major Subedar Som Shekhar, as the mastermind behind the crime. Shekhar, a former friend of the victim’s sister, orchestrated the heist but made a critical error that ultimately led to the apprehension of all involved.
Police have recovered cash, jewelry, and other valuables worth Rs 70 lakh from the suspects and seized two vehicles used in the crime. In total, ten suspects have been arrested across multiple locations, including Durg, Rajnandgaon, Balodabazar, Raipur, Bilaspur, and Nagpur, in a coordinated effort involving 50 police teams.
The robbery operation involved three layers of participants. The first layer consisted of the mastermind and his close associates, followed by their acquaintances in the second layer, and seasoned criminals from Nagpur forming the third layer. Despite using a vehicle without a number plate to evade capture, police investigation led to a vehicle with a number plate that provided essential leads. The owner of this vehicle eventually confessed, aiding the arrest of the other suspects.
To obscure their movement from CCTV, the gang took village routes. However, a woman involved in the crime switched to an Alto car near Motipur, which had a number plate that proved instrumental in tracing the group. Raipur IG Amresh Mishra confirmed that Som Shekhar, a neighbor of the victims, had input about the cash in the victim’s house following the sale of ancestral land and plotted the robbery in collaboration with property dealers, Devlal Verma and Kamlesh Verma.
The second layer of the operation included Purushottam Dewangan, Rahul Tripathi, his wife Neha Tripathi, and Ajay Thakur, while notorious criminals from Nagpur—Shahid Pathan, Pintu Saravan, and Manuraj Maurya—comprised the third layer. On the day of the robbery, Shahid and Pintu entered the house alongside Neha, Manuraj, and Ajay, while other accomplices kept watch outside.
Authorities are also probing the possible involvement of the victim’s sister, suspected of sharing insider information about the cash. Additionally, the suspects allegedly used the phrase “Lal Salam” in an attempt to mislead the police, initially raising suspicions that the robbery could be connected to Naxalite activities.
