Family robbed at gunpoint in Bhind

Bhopal: Three masked men on a motorcycle allegedly robbed a family at gunpoint in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district after chasing them for nearly a kilometre and intercepting them at a secluded spot on Sunday night.

The assailants allegedly held the man, his wife and sister hostage before fleeing with gold jewellery, cash and a mobile phone.Police said the victim, a private employee working in Vidisha, returned to his native village to attend a wedding and was travelling towards Endori with his wife and sister when the trio intercepted them near a canal bridge in the Gohad Chouraha police station area. The accused allegedly threatened the family with a country-made pistol and spent nearly 15 minutes carrying out the robbery before escaping.

They also took away the victim’s mobile phone, delaying his ability to alert police immediately.The family later reached Gohad Chouraha police station and lodged a complaint, following which a case of robbery was registered. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the area and nearby routes to identify the accused.The incident comes amid a spate of similar robberies in the region. Police are yet to crack at least three robbery cases reported from Bhind district over the past three months, including another incident involving a motorcycle-borne couple in the same police station limits just over a week ago.

“Teams have been constituted and we are co-ordinating with police at other police stations and even nearby districts where similar incidents have been reported. We are hopeful of arresting the accused soon,” Gohad Chouraha police station in charge Ram Naresh Yadav told TOI.The recent incidents have raised concerns over the safety of commuters, particularly on rural roads after dark, with residents demanding increased police patrolling and swift action against the culprits.