A TV journalist has taken to social media to share a harrowing incident of how he was looted at a gunpoint in Noida in the early hours of 19 June. Atul Agarwal, who heads the Hindi Khabar news channel, said that he escaped unhurt only because he was from the media.
In a long Facebook post, Agarwal said that the incident took place just 250 meters away from a police checkpoint in Noida extension. According to him, he was driving home at around 1 AM when he stopped his car in Noida extension to plug in his pen drive, which had songs stored in it. This, he said, was because his car’s music system was not functioning.
No sooner did he stop his car, he was approached a group of pistol-wielding men who blocked his car from the front as one banged the window demanding him to come out of the car. Realising that the men were carrying pistols, he decided to simply follow the order.
Agarwal said that he pleaded to the armed goons to not kill him since had a small child at home. The goons asked his name and began to mock his caste calling him ‘baniya.’
Agarwal wrote in his chilling Facebook post that he told the robbers to take his car and all his valuables in exchange for sparing his life. They later handed back his mobile phone and car only after learning that he was an accredited TV journalist. They warned him of dire consequences if Agarwal followed the goons or informed the police about the incident.
Meanwhile, journalists are urging the Noida Police to take strict action against the men who looted Agarwal.
SHOCKING: TV journalist, editor in chief of Hindi Khabar channel, says he was looted at gunpoint in Noida.
He says 5 men intercepted his car 250-300 m away from a police station in Noida Extension.
The incident he narrates here is scary. Hope @noidapolice acs asap. @chitraaum pic.twitter.com/7VL4dptrYA
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) June 20, 2021
I am sure @noidapolice will nab those gangsters asap and make them face strictest laws..God forbid! This cud have led to worse @CP_Noida @atulaum1 @chitraaum https://t.co/8E44yMsdow
— Ashish (ABP News) #MaskUp (@AshishSinghLIVE) June 21, 2021
Here’s the full Facebook post by Atul Agarwal.