Delhi residents are on high alert after a series of attempted assaults and robberies by an unidentified man posing as a water purifier mechanic, prompting a police investigation and community warnings.
Key Points
- An unidentified man posing as a water purifier mechanic is suspected of attempted assaults and robberies in northwest Delhi.
- CCTV footage shows the suspect entering housing societies and attempting to gain entry into homes under false pretences.
- In one incident, a senior citizen woman raised an alarm after the suspect allegedly attempted to attack her with a sharp weapon.
- The suspect is also linked to a robbery and assault in the Maurya Enclave area, where a teenager was attacked with a sharp weapon.
- Residents are living in fear as the suspect remains at large despite CCTV footage and repeated complaints to the police.
Panic gripped parts of northwest Delhi after an unidentified man allegedly posing as an water purifier mechanic was found linked to multiple incidents of attempted assault and robbery in Keshav Puram and Pitampura over the past few weeks, residents and victims alleged.
Police said a case has been registered at Keshav Puram police station under sections 333 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), regarding house trespass and criminal intimidation by an unknown person carrying a tool.
According to police, CCTV footage and the circulating video related to the incident are being thoroughly analysed, while statements of the complainant and other concerned persons have been recorded.
The police said a local inquiry is underway to establish the identity of the accused person, and dedicated teams have been deployed to identify and apprehend him at the earliest.
Fake Repairman Suspected of Multiple Attacks
According to residents, CCTV footage from May 8 purportedly showed the accused moving through a housing society in Keshav Puram, ringing doorbells and introducing himself as a repair worker to gain entry into homes. The footage went viral on social media platforms, with netizens demanding strict action.
"We appeal to residents to remain alert after an unknown man entered our society on May 8, posing as a repair worker. He went to several houses and tried to gain entry on the pretext of fixing water purifiers. In one instance, a senior citizen woman raised an alarm after he allegedly attempted to attack her with a sharp weapon, forcing him to flee. We are sharing all available evidence and CCTV footage with the police and hope strict action is taken to prevent any such incident in future," said Mukul Tanwar, president of the C-Team Block RWA.
Residents claimed the accused was carrying a sharp-edged weapon concealed inside a bag and targeted homes during afternoon hours when many residents, particularly women and senior citizens, were alone.
According to locals, the accused fled after the woman raised an alarm and allegedly discarded the weapon in a nearby vacant plot before escaping from the society.
Previous Incidents and Ongoing Investigation
The incident has also drawn attention because of similarities with an alleged robbery and assault reported from the Maurya Enclave area on April 21.
A victim's family alleged that the accused entered their house pretending to know the family and attacked their teenage son with a sharp weapon after forcing his way inside.
"The accused came to our home pretending to be known to the family and suddenly attacked my son with a sharp weapon when he opened the door," the family alleged.
They further claimed that while trying to defend himself, the teenager suffered serious injuries to his hand and later underwent surgery. The accused allegedly confined him inside the bathroom before fleeing with cash worth around Rs 4 lakh and gold jewellery valued at nearly Rs 25 lakh.
The family alleged that despite repeated complaints and CCTV footage surfacing in multiple incidents, the suspect continues to roam free, leaving them living in fear.
Locals alleged that the suspect, identified by some residents as Ajay Bagga, has remained at large despite CCTV footage and repeated complaints to police.
Investigation into the matter is in progress, police added.
