Bengaluru: A 23-year-old woman was held at knifepoint and threatened with death by a helmet-wearing man during an attempted gold chain robbery at a shop in Indiranagar on October 31. The woman was rescued after alert members of the public intervened, overpowered the accused and handed him over to the police.
The incident took place at a shoe and bag repair shop on 100 Feet Road in Indiranagar between 11.45 am and 12.15 pm. The accused has been identified as Prabhuraj (40). A video showing the frightening incident has gone viral on social media, bringing attention to the attempted robbery.
Accused enters shop wearing helmet and gloves
According to the police complaint, the accused entered the shop wearing a helmet and gloves while the woman employee, identified as Jayashree S, was alone inside.
He allegedly claimed that someone was chasing him and trying to kill him before suddenly threatening the woman. He demanded that she hand over her gold mangalsutra.
When she resisted, the accused allegedly covered her mouth, threatened her with a knife and attempted to restrict her movement by using adhesive on her hands. He also reportedly stuffed a piece of cloth into her mouth to prevent her from raising an alarm.
Woman dragged outside and threatened with knife
The accused allegedly grabbed Jayashree by her hair and held a knife close to her neck while attempting to escape with her gold chain.
He also tried to push her towards an autorickshaw. When people nearby noticed the incident and gathered around, he continued threatening the woman and warned others against approaching him.
The gold mangalsutra reportedly weighed around 35 grams and was valued at approximately ₹4.50 lakh, according to the police complaint.
Public intervenes and rescues woman
The woman’s cries for help alerted nearby shopkeepers and passers-by, who rushed to the spot.
Despite the accused threatening them with a knife, members of the public managed to overpower him and rescue the woman. They restrained the accused before handing him over to the police.
The incident was captured on video, which began circulating widely on social media on Tuesday, November 3.
Police arrest accused and begin investigation
Indiranagar police arrested Prabhuraj following the incident. A case was registered under Section 309(6) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the alleged robbery.
East Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikram Amte said the accused had allegedly entered the shop intending to snatch the woman’s chain. When members of the public tried to apprehend him, he held the woman hostage and threatened to kill her.
Police are also verifying the accused’s background. The woman was reported to be safe, although the FIR mentioned minor injuries to her neck and hands. The accused has been remanded to judicial custody, and further investigation is under way.