A 65-year-old security guard was beaten to death with iron rods allegedly by four burglars who were trying to break open the shutters of a shop in Central Delhi’s Paharganj on Wednesday night. The victim’s nephew, who too was on duty, was also injured in the attack.
The suspects have not been identified yet. The police said they were masked and the area’s CCTV footage is being scanned to find clues to their identity.
The incident took place around 1-20 a.m. on Thursday at Nehru Market, where tobacco products are sold in wholesale. The victim identified as Bhagat Shah and his nephew Karan Bahadur, both natives of Nepal’s Virat Nagar, were guarding the shops in the market.
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“Sounds of shutters breaking drew their attention and they went together to check. They found two masked men attempting to break open a shop’s shutter. Two others were sitting in a Santro car,” said the police.
The uncle and nephew tried to take them on but were confronted with iron rods being used to break open the shutters. The two men sitting in the car emerged and joined their accomplices in the assault. Shah collapsed on the floor on being repeatedly hit on his head. His nephew sustained injuries to his limbs.
Once the burglars had the guards on the back foot, they fled in the car. The police said they abandoned their plan to break into the shop.
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The guards’ cries for help drew the attention of some others and they informed the police. The victims were soon rushed to a hospital where Shah was declared brought dead. Bahadur is undergoing treatment and is out of danger.
The police at the Paharganj station lodged a case based on Bahadur’s statement. The uncle and nephew lived in a rented room in the same area. They had been employed as guards by shopkeepers of that market for some years.