A manager of a foreign exchange company was allegedly robbed of Rs 7.16 lakh by three unidentified men who lured him to a secluded spot near Ambazari Lake in Nagpur and attacked him with chilli powder before fleeing with the cash.
The victim, Khilesh Sahu, works with a Raipur-based forex company and was targeted after receiving a WhatsApp call from a person claiming to possess 7,500 US dollars that needed to be exchanged into Indian currency.
According to police, Sahu was at his office near Rani Jhansi Square on Wednesday when the caller contacted him regarding the proposed transaction. After initially discussing the deal, the caller reportedly called again around 3.30 pm, stressing the urgency of completing the exchange.
Believing the request to be genuine, Sahu collected Rs 7.16 lakh in cash and left on his scooter to meet the prospective customer. The caller first directed him to Futala Lake before changing the meeting location to an area behind a hospital near Ambazari Lake.
Police suspect the shifting of locations was a deliberate tactic to isolate the victim.
As Sahu reached the designated spot, three men on a scooter allegedly approached him from behind and threw chilli powder into his eyes. Taking advantage of his temporary blindness, the accused allegedly snatched the bag containing Rs 7.16 lakh and his mobile phone before escaping.
Investigators believe the robbery was carefully planned and executed within minutes.
Despite the attack, Sahu managed to seek help and reportedly sent a selfie showing his condition to his employer, informing him about the incident. He was later admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Following the complaint, Ambazari Police registered a case against unidentified persons and launched an investigation. Multiple teams have been formed to trace the accused.
Police are examining CCTV footage from routes around the crime scene and analysing call records, SIM card details and mobile tower data linked to the WhatsApp number used to contact the victim.
Insider Angle Under Probe
Investigators are also probing the possibility of insider involvement. The nature of the crime has raised suspicions that the accused may have had prior knowledge of Sahu’s profession, access to large cash transactions and the company’s operating procedures.
Police are examining whether information about the transaction was leaked from within the victim’s professional network or whether the gang had been tracking his movements before carrying out the robbery.
Officials said efforts are underway to identify and arrest the accused at the earliest.
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