The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday, 3 May 2025, arrested two men accused of carrying out a brazen daylight robbery and shooting in Sunlight Colony, New Delhi, officials said. The arrests, made near I.P. Park on Ring Road, led to the recovery of ₹3.92 lakh in looted cash, weapons used in the crime, a stolen mobile phone, and the motorcycle deployed during the offence.

The Incident

The robbery took place on 25 April 2025 at around 6:40 pm, when complainant Shakir Ali, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, was travelling on a black Splendor motorcycle with his brother-in-law, Jeeshan. Jeeshan was carrying approximately ₹5 lakh in a bag, collected from a relative in Old Delhi.

Three assailants riding a sports motorcycle intercepted the duo and forced them to halt. Two of the attackers were armed with pistols; the third carried a knife. When Jeeshan resisted the bag snatch, one of the accused fired a bullet at Shakir, hitting him in the abdomen. Jeeshan was stabbed during the scuffle. The attackers fled with the cash bag and Jeeshan's mobile phone. Both victims were initially rushed to Holy Family Hospital and later referred to AIIMS for advanced treatment.

How the Arrests Were Made

Following Shakir's complaint, an FIR dated 26 April 2025 was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act at Sunlight Colony Police Station. The case was taken up by the Anti-Extortion and Kidnapping Cell (AEKC) of the Crime Branch, operating under the supervision of DCP (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav and the leadership of ACP AEKC Pankaj Arora.

A dedicated team — comprising Inspectors Daleep Kumar and Priyanka, Sub-Inspectors Saumya, Ankur, Ashok, and Vijay, along with other staff — conducted extensive groundwork. On 1 May 2025, credible intelligence indicated that the accused would meet near I.P. Park. Police laid a trap, and at around 7:30 pm, two suspects riding a Suzuki Gixxer motorcycle were intercepted on the basis of a secret informer's tip. Accused Pawan Giri attempted to brandish a loaded pistol but was quickly overpowered.

Accused Profiles and Recoveries

The two arrested individuals have been identified as Bijender Yadav (32), a resident of Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh, and Pawan Giri (32), a resident of Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh. Police recovered ₹1.94 lakh and the stolen mobile phone from Pawan, while ₹1.98 lakh and a button-actuated knife were recovered from Bijender. The pistol found on Pawan was loaded with three live cartridges.

Bijender, a graduate, has prior criminal records including two cases under the Excise Act (2018 and 2019) and a case of attempt to murder registered in 2021 in Baghpat. Pawan, who studied up to Class 7, was previously implicated in a murder case registered in 2022 in Meerut and is currently out on bail in that matter.

Third Accused Still at Large

During sustained questioning, both accused confessed to their roles in the Sunlight Colony robbery and disclosed that a third accomplice, identified only as Sanjay, was also part of the crime and is currently absconding. Investigators also established that the sports motorcycle used in the robbery had been stolen in 2024 from Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. Police say efforts are ongoing to apprehend Sanjay and recover the remaining stolen cash.