Armed Man Held After Hostage Drama at Indiranagar Repair Shop
A helmet-wearing armed assailant barged into a shoe and bag repair shop on 100 Feet Road in Indiranagar on October 31, assaulting a 23-year-old receptionist and briefly holding her hostage at knifepoint before being apprehended by traffic police and members of the public.
The incident occurred around 11:45 a.m. at Premium Shoe and Bag Repair, where the woman, a resident of Domlur who has worked at the establishment for nearly three years, was alone inside. The intruder, who was also wearing gloves, entered the premises claiming that someone was attempting to kill him before suddenly leaping over the counter to confront the receptionist.
According to the complaint filed by the victim, the assailant forced her to sit down when she attempted to phone the shopowner. He covered her mouth, threatened to kill her if she cried out, and attacked her with a knife. He then applied gum to her hands, stuck them to the desk, and stuffed a piece of cloth into her mouth before forcibly snatching her 35-gram gold mangalsutra, valued at approximately ₹4.5 lakh.
The situation escalated when the receptionist managed to free her hands and raised an alarm, alerting people outside on the busy commercial street. Hearing the commotion, passers-by rushed inside the shop. In response, the suspect grabbed the woman by her hair, dragged her to one side, and held a knife directly to her neck, warning the gathering crowd not to step closer.
When the shopowner and onlookers attempted to overpower the armed intruder, he swung the knife at them, attacking the owner before attempting to flee the scene with the stolen gold chain. However, passers-by and nearby traffic police personnel chased the fleeing suspect on foot, successfully intercepting and restraining him.
The assailant was handed over to the Indiranagar police and has since been remanded to judicial custody. A police officer stated that preliminary information suggests the accused may be experiencing depression and mental health issues.
