Ludhiana: Two masked men stabbed and robbed a jewellery shop employee in broad daylight on ATI Road Friday, fleeing with gold, silver, a licensed pistol, mobile phone and a scooter in a heist that lasted barely five minutes and was caught on CCTV.Ranjeet Singh, who was alone in the shop between 11.37am and 11.41am, was overpowered by the assailants, who dragged him towards a concealed strong room, thrashed him and demanded locker keys. When he told them he was only a worker, one accused locked the main door by snatching the automatic lock key while the other began stuffing jewellery into a bag.As Singh resisted when they tried to take the ornaments he was wearing, one of the robbers returned and stabbed him multiple times. They then tied his hands, took away his licensed .30 bore pistol kept on the locker, besides his gold chain, ring and kara, and fled, locking him inside the strong room.Raghbir Singh, the victim’s father, said the duo took “five to six minutes” to execute the crime. A nearby shopkeeper noticed the suspects struggling with the automatic door while fleeing and alerted the family; by then, locals had rushed Ranjeet to hospital, where he is stated to be stable.The victim told police the strong room is designed to look like a wall and its layout, along with the automatic locking system, suggests prior knowledge. The family suspects workers who recently carried out woodwork at the shop.Shimlapuri SHO Inspector Jatinder Kumar said statements have been recorded and CCTV footage is being analysed to identify and nab the accused.Recent robberiesApril 17: Three assailants assaulted Hardeep Singh, a liquor company worker, outside the firm’s Vishal Nagar office and robbed him of ₹17 lakh. Police later arrested the accused, including former employees identified as masterminds, and recovered ₹11 lakhMarch 14: Masked robbers attempted to loot a money changer’s shop in Ganesh Nagar, Janakpuri. After flashing a gun and demanding cash, they were chased away when owner Neeraj Tiwari fought back with a sword. The incident was captured on CCTVFeb 23: A gang targeted a govt construction site near Lohara bridge on Sidhwan Canal in the wee hours, tied up two guards and fled with about 440 shuttering plates worth around ₹12 lakh in a truck
