Lucknow: In a shocking daylight incident in Lucknow, two unidentified assailants stormed into the government residence of a Secretariat Under Secretary near Bhootnath police outpost on Wednesday and carried out a violent robbery. The attackers assaulted the officer’s wife, slashing her throat and hand with a knife before fleeing with gold jewellery.
The victim, Shashi Pandey, wife of Under Secretary Harishchandra Pandey, was home at the time of the incident, along with her two sons, Shreyansh and Aashu. Harishchandra, who works in the Department of Science and Technology, was away at his office during the attack.
Attack Under False Pretense
Around 2:30 PM, two men knocked at the door claiming to be technicians assigned to repair a faulty air conditioner. Shashi, unaware of any such complaint, questioned them. As she turned to go inside, one of the men suddenly grabbed her from behind and attempted to silence her. When she resisted, he attacked her with a knife, inflicting injuries on her throat and hand.
Despite her injuries, Shashi bravely fought back, but the assailants managed to snatch her gold chain, ring, and earrings. She was eventually thrown against a wall, causing her head to strike hard, and she collapsed to the ground.
Children to the Rescue
Hearing her screams, the children rushed out from inside the house. Startled by the presence of witnesses, the robbers made a swift escape, fleeing on foot. The children quickly helped their bleeding mother and rushed her to Shekhar Hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Harishchandra Pandey was informed of the incident by his nephew, Ashutosh Pandey, who also contacted the police control room. Shockingly, no police personnel arrived for nearly 30 minutes, prompting Harishchandra to alert the Principal Secretary of his department.
Police Investigation Underway
Senior police officials, including DCP East Shashank Singh, ACP Anidya Vikram Singh, and Inspector Vikas Rai, eventually reached the scene and began an investigation.
ACP Singh confirmed that a case has been registered against unidentified assailants, and four police teams have been formed to track them down. Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage from key access points leading to the government colony to identify the culprits.
As the investigation continues, this brazen attack in a high-security government housing area has raised serious questions about residential safety in the state capital. The incident has sent shockwaves through the bureaucratic community, with calls for increased security and faster police response times.
