Bhopal Retired Mining Officer Attacked With Hammer During Robbery Bid, Caretaker Detained

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 71-year-old retired officer of the Panna Diamond Mining Project was attacked with a hammer by three men who entered his house in New Shriram Parisar under Awadhpuri police station limits during an attempted robbery on Friday morning.

The accused tried to tie up the elderly man with a rope, but fled after he raised an alarm and neighbours rushed to the house. He suffered serious head injuries and is undergoing treatment at AIIMS.

Police have detained the 23-year-old woman caretaker of the elderly couple, who confessed during questioning that she had conspired with her boyfriend and two other men to rob the house.

Police have registered a case including an attempt to murder and are searching for the three accused.

ACP Aditi Bhawsar said retired officer Mohan Chaudhary lives in a duplex with his wife and son. His son is pursuing a PhD at MANIT and had left for the institute on Thursday morning.

At around 11 am, Chaudhary's wife, who recently underwent hip surgery, was being bathed by the caretaker in a ground-floor bathroom, while the retired officer was bathing on the upper floor.

The three accused went directly upstairs and attempted to tie up the elderly man. When he resisted and raised an alarm, one of the accused allegedly hit him on the head with a hammer two or three times, which left him unconscious.

Hearing his cries, neighbours rushed to the house and saw the three men fleeing. They found the injured man in the bathroom and took him to AIIMS for treatment.

Police detained the caretaker on suspicion. She initially tried to mislead police but later admitted to conspiring with her boyfriend. She had been working at the house for around one-and-a-half months and was familiar with the layout of the house and the family's belongings.

The caretaker provided the accused with information about the premises. Her boyfriend is reportedly a resident of Seoni Malwa.

Residents raise concern over rising thefts

Meanwhile, residents of New Shriram Parisar, upset over a series of thefts and burglaries in the colony, gathered outside Awadhpuri police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the remaining accused.