One held for robbing mercury, saffron

 New Delhi: A 23-year-old man was arrested for his alleged involvement in stealing mercury and saffron worth Rs 40 lakh from a shop in the Lahori gate area in Old Delhi, police said on Monday. He was identified as Karan Singh, a native of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, they added. 

On the intervening night of November 29-30, some burglars barged into a shop at Tilak Bazar, Lahori gate, after breaking its rear window and took away mercury and saffron worth Rs 40 lakh, said Rajiv Ranjan, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime).

On Sunday, police on a specific input nabbed Singh near Khari Bawli Chowk, Tilak Bazar, he said. During interrogation, it was revealed that he, along with his friends Dinesh Kumar, Ram Prakash, Parveen and Vinod, had committed the theft, said Ranjan.

 Parveen runs his office-cum-godown in Tilak Bazar and deals in incense sticks. He is a close friend of Kumar who works as a porter in Tilak Bazar, the officer said. Kumar knew about the items like saffron and mercury sold in the shop.

 He shared this information with Singh and others, and together they made a plan to steal them, the officer added. Mercury and saffron worth Rs 25 lakh has been recovered from Singh, Ranjan said, adding the four others are still absconding.