Real-life Bunty and Babli? Punjab couple arrested after daring heist, found at Hemkund Sahib

Uttarakhand's Hemkund Sahib became the unexpected setting for the arrest of a couple who had successfully executed a daring multi-crore heist, leaving authorities astonished.

Jaswinder Singh and his wife Mandeep Kaur, as revealed by the Punjab Police, have been identified as the masterminds behind the audacious robbery at the office of a cash management firm in Ludhiana. Armed and determined, they overpowered the guards at CMS Services, making off with a staggering sum of Rs 8 crore in cash on June 10.

In a surprising turn of events, after the successful heist, Mandeep Kaur and Jaswinder Singh embarked on a pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh shrine, seemingly to express gratitude for the accomplishment of their mission, disclosed Ludhiana Police Commissioner Mandeep Singh Sidhu.

Authorities were also informed that the couple had intended to escape to Nepal. However, their plans to flee the country were thwarted by a lookout notice issued by the police. Subsequently, the couple decided to visit Hemkund Sahib, as well as Kedarnath and Haridwar, before devising their next move.

While the police were aware that Mandeep Kaur and Jaswinder Singh were present at Hemkund Sahib, their primary challenge was to identify them among the multitude of devotees.

To apprehend the couple, a clever strategy was devised: a complimentary drinks kiosk was set up, offering packets of a fruit-flavored beverage to the devotees. Unaware of the trap, the couple approached the kiosk, accepted their drinks, and removed the covers from their faces before taking a sip.

In that precise moment, the police successfully recognised them but chose to bide their time. Patiently waiting for the couple to conclude their prayers, the police made their move as the couple exited the shrine, resulting in their arrest following a brief chase.

Police Commissioner Sidhu disclosed that a sum of Rs 21 lakh was recovered from the couple. Out of the total loot of Rs 8 crore, the police have thus far managed to reclaim nearly Rs 6 crore. Furthermore, the authorities have apprehended nine additional suspects related to the case.

Expressing his satisfaction, Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav stated that the masterminds behind the Ludhiana heist were apprehended within a span of fewer than 100 hours. "The police teams employed a professional and scientific approach to unravel this multi-crore robbery," he added.

The official Twitter account of the Ludhiana Police emphasised that this incident should serve as a "chilling reminder for all anti-social elements."