A South Indian restaurant in the upscale Bodakdev area of Ahmedabad was targeted in a brazen armed robbery in the early hours of Monday, with a masked intruder making off with a significant sum of cash after threatening a staff member with a knife.
Chilling Details of the Bodakdev Robbery
According to a First Information Report (FIR) lodged with the Bodakdev police, the incident took place between 12.45 am and 1.45 am on Monday at the restaurant located within the Sun Orbit Complex on Rajpath Rangoli Road. The establishment is run by a hospitality firm and employs several staff members.
The restaurant manager, 28-year-old Mukesh Thakur, had completed his shift and left for his home in Bodakdev around 12.45 am. At that time, only two cleaning staff members were present on the premises. Approximately an hour later, Thakur received a frantic call from the floor manager informing him that an unknown person had entered, threatened an employee, and stolen cash.
How the Knife-Point Threat Unfolded
Police inquiries revealed a harrowing sequence of events. One of the cleaning staff members had stepped out briefly to dispose of garbage, leaving the door unlocked. Upon returning, he locked the door and went back to work in the kitchen.
Around 1.30 am, an unidentified man with his face covered entered the kitchen. He immediately demanded the keys to the main door. When the staffer refused, the intruder allegedly picked up a knife from the kitchen and threatened to kill him. Fearing for his life, the terrified employee handed over the keys.
The suspect then exited the kitchen, went to the front area, and allegedly broke open the cash counter. He fled the scene with Rs 2.2 lakh in cash, which was the restaurant's collection from the past three days. No other items were reported stolen.
Police Investigation and Aftermath
Manager Mukesh Thakur rushed back to the restaurant with other staff members to find the cash counter damaged and the money gone. The Bodakdev police have registered a case of robbery and criminal intimidation.
Investigators are now actively scanning CCTV footage from the restaurant and the surrounding area in Sun Orbit Complex to identify the accused. The swift and threatening nature of the crime has put local businesses on alert.
This armed robbery highlights security concerns for commercial establishments, even in prominent city areas, during late-night hours. The police probe continues as they work to track down the armed intruder.
