Bengaluru hostage drama: Neighbour’s quick thinking prevents robber’s escape

Bengaluru: An armed man entered a bag repair shop at Indiranagar around 11.45 a.m. on October 31, assaulting the shop's 23-year-old female receptionist and attempting to steal her gold mangalsutra valued at approximately ₹4.5 lakh. The woman managed to free herself and raised an alarm, drawing the attention of passersby. The suspect, wearing a helmet and gloves, held the woman hostage at knifepoint, threatening those who gathered outside.

The shop owner and others tried to overpower the assailant, but he attacked them with a knife before trying to flee. Passersby and traffic police eventually caught the man and handed him over to the police, who remanded him to judicial custody. According to the receptionist, who has been working at the shop for three years, the suspect claimed someone was trying to kill him as his motive. Preliminary reports suggest he may be suffering from mental health issues and depression.