A knife-wielding man allegedly attempted to rob a woman of her gold mangalsutra worth approximately Rs 4.5 lakh inside a shop in Bengaluru's Indiranagar on October 31. The accused, identified as 40-year-old Prabhuraj alias Raj, allegedly threatened the woman at knifepoint and attempted to snatch her 35-gram gold chain.
Alert locals rushed to her rescue after hearing her screams, overpowered the accused and handed him over to the police.
The incident occurred around 11:45 am within the limits of Indiranagar Police Station. The woman escaped without serious injuries, while the accused was arrested and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
Accused Allegedly Pretended to Seek Shelter
According to police reports, Prabhuraj entered the shop pretending that someone was chasing him and trying to kill him. He allegedly requested shelter from the woman, who was alone at the time.
However, the situation quickly turned threatening when he reportedly pulled out a knife, held it against her neck and demanded her gold mangalsutra.
The accused allegedly threatened to kill her if she resisted. In an attempt to prevent her from escaping or raising an alarm, he reportedly poured Fevikwik adhesive on both her hands and stuck them to a table.
Locals Brave Knife Threat to Rescue Woman
As the accused attempted to remove the gold chain, the woman screamed for help. Hearing her cries, neighbouring shopkeepers and passersby immediately rushed inside.
Even as the accused allegedly held the knife against her neck and threatened the crowd, locals managed to distract him, overpower him and rescue the woman.
The accused was subsequently handed over to Indiranagar police. The woman was taken to hospital for medical attention and was reported to have escaped without serious injuries.
Accused Sent to Judicial Custody
Police registered a case and arrested Prabhuraj alias Raj. Reports identified him as a former delivery agent, while investigators are examining his background and circumstances surrounding the attempted robbery.
A video showing the accused threatening the woman and attempting to overpower her has also surfaced on social media, drawing attention to the incident.
Public Safety Concerns Raised
The incident has highlighted concerns about the safety of employees working alone in small commercial establishments, particularly women who may be vulnerable during isolated working hours.
The prompt intervention by local residents prevented the robbery attempt from escalating into a potentially more serious crime. Police investigations are continuing.