A 24-year-old civil services aspirant preparing for competitive exams in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar was arrested for allegedly committing two armed robberies within 24 hours to repay a loan he had taken from a friend, police said on Thursday.
₹35,000 from a friend named Rahul, also from Bharatpur, to fund his stay. When he was unable to repay the loan, Rahul allegedly suggested robbery as a way out and even provided him with a pistol and ammunition. (Representational image)” title=”He had borrowed ₹35,000 from a friend named Rahul, also from Bharatpur, to fund his stay. When he was unable to repay the loan, Rahul allegedly suggested robbery as a way out and even provided him with a pistol and ammunition. (Representational image)” />Deputy commissioner of police (north) Raja Banthia said the accused, identified as Farid Khan alias Javed, is a BTech graduate from Bharatpur, Rajasthan. He was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly robbing two bike taxi riders on the mornings of May 31 and June 2.
“In both instances, he was armed with a countrymade pistol. He posed as a passenger, took the riders to isolated locations in Gandhi Vihar, and then threatened them at gunpoint,” Banthia said.
The first incident was reported by Sonu (37), a rider from Ghaziabad, who said a man posing as a passenger at New Delhi railway station persuaded him to cancel the app-based booking and take an offline ride in exchange for extra money. “Around 2.30am, when they reached a desolate stretch near the Gandhi Vihar drain, the man pulled out a pistol and fled with Sonu’s motorcycle, phone, and ₹2,000 in cash,” Banthia said.
A second complaint was filed the same day by Pradeep Ram (30), who said his ride was booked from Nizamuddin railway station to Gandhi Vihar. There too, the passenger threatened him with a pistol and escaped with his phone and ₹600 in cash.
Noting the similarities in both crimes, police formed a team and reviewed CCTV footage to track the suspect. Based on a tip-off, Khan was apprehended near Sankalp Bhawan at Tara Chowk. “He was positively identified by both complainants,” the DCP said.
During questioning, Khan allegedly told police he had moved to Delhi in 2024 to prepare for the State Selection Committee Combined Graduate Level exam. He had borrowed ₹35,000 from a friend named Rahul, also from Bharatpur, to fund his stay.
When he was unable to repay the loan, Rahul allegedly suggested robbery as a way out and even provided him with a pistol and ammunition, Banthia said. Khan then began targeting late-night bike taxi rides from railway stations, convincing riders to cancel their app-based trips to avoid being traced.
Rahul, the alleged co-conspirator and arms supplier, is currently absconding. Further investigation is underway.