A group of masked men allegedly broke into a restaurant in Connaught Place in the early hours of Sunday and decamped with ₹6.6 lakh in cash and a mobile phone, police said.
The incident occurred around 4am at the Karigari restaurant located on the Outer Circle, a high-security zone barely a kilometre from key government establishments and close to the venue of the ongoing AI Impact Summit.
Entry through fire exit
According to police, four persons were involved in the break-in. They allegedly scaled a rear wall and entered through the fire exit before forcing open a locker containing cash.
Yogesh Sharma, owner of the Karigari restaurant brand, said the staff was taken by surprise. “They scaled a wall in the back and entered through the fire exit. Our maintenance staffer was sleeping. After taking cash from the first locker, they advanced towards the second locker but he woke up. They threatened him with sharp objects,” he said.
The suspects reportedly fled on foot after collecting the cash and valuables in polybags.
Case registered, probe underway
A case has been registered at Barakhamba Road Police Station, and teams of Delhi Police are examining CCTV footage and questioning staff members.
A senior police officer confirmed that the accused entered via the fire exit, broke open a locker and threatened an employee before escaping. Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend the suspects.
Authorities are also reviewing security arrangements in the Connaught Place area following the incident.