Mystery man posing as AC mechanic to rob residents held in Delhi; linked to viral armed attacks
New Delhi (PTI): A 55-year-old man who allegedly posed as an AC and RO mechanic to rob residents in northwest Delhi's Keshav Puram and Pitampura areas has been arrested, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Ajay Bagga alias Vijay Bagga, was apprehended following an extensive manhunt involving CCTV analysis, technical surveillance and local enquiries, they said.
According to police, Bagga used to roam through residential colonies posing as a mechanic and ring doorbells to identify potential targets.
"The moment a resident opened the door, he would forcibly enter the house, launch a sudden attack and rob the occupants," a police officer said.
The accused had sent locals into panic after CCTV footage of him roaming in residential areas holding a plastic blue bag and hiding a 'gandasa' (machete) surfaced online, triggering a police hunt.
"A special team was formed to nab the accused after multiple incidents with a similar modus operandi were reported," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Akanksha Yadav said in a statement.
She further said that using technical surveillance, CCTV footage analysis and human intelligence inputs, police tracked down and arrested Bagga near Gurudwara Nanak Pyau in Model Town.
Police said Bagga has been linked to two separate FIRs registered at Maurya Enclave and Keshav Puram police stations.
"In the first case, the complainant Sahil Kukreja alleged that Bagga, who was known to him for the past eight to nine years, came to his residence in Pitampura on April 21 on the pretext of meeting his father," the officer said.
After entering the house and asking for water, the accused allegedly attacked Kukreja with a large knife, locally referred to as a "chapad", injuring his left forearm.
The accused then allegedly confined the complainant, demanded money and fled with around Rs 4 lakh in cash and gold jewellery from the house.
In the second incident, in Keshav Puram, Bagga allegedly entered the residence of a woman posing as an RO mechanic on May 8. The complainant told police that the accused threatened her with an iron 'gandasa' after entering the house.
However, the woman resisted and raised an alarm, forcing Bagga to flee after throwing the weapon in a nearby park, police said. The weapon was later recovered and seized by the police team.
"During an investigation, police teams scanned footage from several CCTV cameras, conducted searches at over 50 hotels and interrogated multiple suspects before zeroing in on Bagga. On interrogation, the accused confessed to his involvement in the two incidents," Yadav said.
Police are further investigating Bagga to ascertain his possible involvement in other similar robbery and house trespass cases reported in the city and to identify whether he had any accomplices.
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
