Bengaluru: In a twist of grim irony, two technicians working on Bengaluru’s Safe City Project were mugged at knifepoint under the very CCTV cameras meant to improve citizen safety. The incident happened around 2 a.m. on Wednesday at 19th Main Road, Muneshwara Block, Mysuru Road.
Manukumar Dahayat and Sagar, employed by a private company contracted for the Safe City initiative, were repairing non-functional surveillance cameras when two unidentified men on a scooter approached them. The suspects initially engaged them in casual conversation before suddenly pulling out knives and issuing threats.
Demanding money, the robbers found the technicians had no cash. They then snatched Manukumar’s phone and forced him to contact friends or family to transfer money. Sagar managed to flee, leaving Manukumar at the scene. Under duress, Manukumar called his friend and falsely said there was an accident. The friend transferred ₹500 to a number provided by the robbers. Unsatisfied, the duo demanded ₹2,000 more, which Manukumar managed to arrange in a second call.
Once the money was received, the robbers destroyed Manukumar’s phone and fled. The shaken technician reported the ordeal to his superiors and later filed a complaint with the Byatarayanapura police.
Authorities have registered a case under BNS Sections 308 (extortion), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intent to provoke breach of peace). Police are currently scanning CCTV footage from nearby buildings in an effort to identify and apprehend the suspects.