Date:11/09/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/09/11/stories/2004091113820500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Dacoits strike at Asifnagar

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 10. A six-member dacoit gang raided a house at Kranti Nagar in Asifnagar in the city in the wee hours of Friday and took away jewellery worth Rs. 1.5 lakh from on old couple at knifepoint.

A retired chartered accountant, Philip (73), his wife, Anne Philip (62), and their maid, Jyothi (16), were asleep when the dacoits gained entry into the house. They woke up to the din and raised alarm, the Asifnagar Sub-Inspector, P. Vijay Kumar, said.

The gang warned Jyothi against raising alarm. Later, they tied the hands of Philip, his wife and the maid and asked the trio to lie down on a bed and put a cloth over them. After ransacking the entire house, they opened an almirah with a key on it and took away diamond-studded jewellery and Rs. 1,500 in cash. Before leaving, they warned the inmates against alerting the police. They snapped phone wire and took away Philip's mobile.

At 5.30 a.m. Philip managed to free himself and with the help of neighbours called up the main control room which in turn alerted the Asifnagar police.

"The gang members covered their faces with napkins taken from my house after entering inside," Mr. Philip said.

"When one of the gang members put jewellery in his shirt pocket, others objected to it. The dacoit removed his shirt and threw it on the floor and left," Mr. Philip said.

Fingerprints

Fingerprints were collected from the scene. The City Police Commissioner, R.P. Singh, the West Zone DCP, N. Sanjay, and the CLUES team visited the spot. Dog squad was pressed into service.