Cash collection agent shot at in foiled robbery attempt

Lucknow: A cash collection agent of a private firm was shot at by two masked miscreants in an alleged robbery bid near Badshah Nagar metro station late Thursday night, police said.The victim Arpit Agarwal (36) of Chowk's Bagh Mahanarayan sustained two bullet wounds, one in wrist and another in stomach. He is undergoing treatment and is said to be stable.Arpit, who works as a collection agent at a private company's warehouse in Badshah Nagar, in his complaint told police that he was leaving for his home on Thursday night when the two miscreants on foot forcibly stopped his bike and started snatching his bag. "When I resisted, they beat me up and one of them fired twice. Luckily, they missed the shots, and I got hit in my right wrist. Another bullet grazed past my stomach. I ran towards the store to save myself. Hearing gunshots locals and his colleagues rushed to the spot. Seeing the crowd, the duo threatened me and fled towards Nishatganj Good Bakery leaving the bag behind," he said.DCP, central zone, Raveena Tyagi said the locals and his colleagues rushed him to trauma centre and informed the police. Police are now scanning all available CCTV footage to trace the miscreants.The victim's friend Deepak said they were going home after finishing their duty when Arpit came running helter-skelter and informed about the incident.Inspector Mahanagar Akhilesh Mishra said the initial probe indicates that the victim was shot for resisting robbery. He added that hunt was on for the miscreants.Meanwhile, locals claim that the area wears a deserted look after 10pm and is vulnerable to such attacks. Those working in the warehouse too echoed the same sentiments and said that ever since the metro bridge and overbridge was built, the stretch becomes deserted by 10 pm. "Most people going to Hazratganj take the overbridge and only a few go from the IT side," they said.