New Delhi: Delhi Police have apprehended an e-rickshaw driver and his accomplice for allegedly stealing Rs 5 lakh from a passenger in the bustling Lahori Gate area of North Delhi. The suspects, identified as Shankar (32), the e-rickshaw driver, and Mahender Parmar (34), operated by preying on unsuspecting passengers, offering rides only to abscond with their valuables.
According to a senior police official, the incident came to light on June 9th after Dinesh Kumar (34) reported the theft. Kumar, following his employer’s instructions, had collected the cash from the Kucha Ghasi Ram area. He then boarded an e-rickshaw at SPM T Point at approximately 4:15 PM.
Kumar stated that the e-rickshaw already had several passengers, including two women and two men, aside from the driver. “Near Novelty Cinema, one of the men shifted from the front to the passenger seats,” the officer explained.
“Shortly after, the driver abruptly stopped at Pilli Kothi, refusing to continue the ride and forcing Kumar to disembark. It was then that Kumar discovered his bag had been unzipped and the Rs 5 lakh missing.”
A First Information Report (FIR) was filed, and police investigations led to the arrest of Shankar on Tuesday, swiftly followed by the apprehension of Mahender. Authorities recovered the stolen cash from the pair.
Investigations revealed that the two men had recently migrated to Delhi approximately six months prior, seeking employment. Shankar rented the e-rickshaw, while Parmar engaged in the second-hand clothing business.
Driven by financial dissatisfaction and drug addiction, they resorted to theft. “Parmar is particularly adept at discreetly opening bag zippers,” the officer stated, adding that the gang strategically lured victims onto the e-rickshaw before executing their thefts. Police are currently searching for a third accomplice, a woman named Geeta, who remains at large.
