Delhi daylight robbery: Armed gang loots ₹2.30 crore at gunpoint in Lahori Gate
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
An armed gang of four men stormed an office in Lahori Gate, Old Delhi, on Thursday morning and made off with ₹2.30 crore in cash at gunpoint, in what police are treating as a brazen daylight robbery in full public view. The incident, reportedly involving a government establishment near Church Mission police station, has triggered a multi-team manhunt by Delhi Police.
How the Robbery Unfolded
The gang entered the office premises in the Lahori Gate area, located near Old Delhi Railway Station, and immediately threatened employees with dire consequences if they alerted the police or resisted. At gunpoint, the robbers forced access to a cupboard where ₹2.30 crore in cash was stored. They stuffed the currency into bags and fled in a car parked directly outside the railway station, completing the operation within minutes.
According to initial findings, the gang had come well-prepared, reportedly carrying pistols and having contingency plans in place. Crucially, the robbers were captured on CCTV cameras installed inside the office — footage that investigators are now scrutinising for identification clues.
Police Response and Investigation
Delhi Police has deployed four specialised teams to track down the perpetrators. Officers are scanning CCTV cameras along the entire stretch of the robbers' suspected escape route and are reconstructing their movements from the point of entry to the point of escape. The police are also collecting statements from eyewitnesses and local residents who may have observed the gang's movements before or after the robbery.
A separate line of inquiry is examining whether the criminals had conducted a prior reconnaissance of the office. Investigators are also probing whether an insider may have passed on information about the cash being available at the location — a suspicion raised by the apparent precision of the operation.
Security Questions in Focus
The incident has raised pointed questions about the law-and-order situation in Delhi, particularly in the densely populated Old Delhi corridor during the ongoing festive season. The fact that the robbery took place in broad daylight, in a busy commercial zone, and apparently without immediate intervention has prompted concern among residents and civic observers alike.
This comes amid recurring criticism of patchy surveillance and policing in the older parts of the Capital, where narrow lanes and heavy foot traffic can both obscure and enable criminal activity. Notably, the proximity to Old Delhi Railway Station — one of the city's busiest transit hubs — makes the audacity of the operation particularly striking.
What Comes Next
Police say the CCTV examination is the primary lead at this stage, with the footage expected to help identify at least some of the gang members. The investigation into a possible insider angle remains active. Authorities are yet to confirm whether the establishment was a government office, with reports describing it only as 'purportedly' a government entity.