Bengaluru: On the night of Tuesday February 10th, Rajappan Pillai (70) a retired Administrative officer of the DRDO, was sleeping in his Yurane Apartment in Pai Layout, when he heard a knock on the door. He got up to investigate. It was 12.45 AM. He opened the door.  Arun, the security guard of the apartment complex and three of his friends barged into the house and tried to overpower Pillai.

According to the police, when the retired officer tried to resist, the gang of men started assaulting him with iron rods and a khukri (knife). His wife Usha, heard the noises emanating from the hall, woke up and rushed to her husband’s help, but the gang attacked her with the knife.

According to the police,the gang ransacked the house and took away valuables, including 250 grams of gold jewellery, 150 grams of silver articles, Rs. 3 lakh in cash and seven wristwatches.

A while later, a profusely bleeding  Pillai collapsed and died. His wife, Usha managed to reach the balcony of the apartment and raised an alarm. A few neighbors, hearing her cries, rushed to her help before alerting the jurisdictional Mahadevapura police.

Meanwhile, the police night patrolling party — Sangappa Kavatagi and Home Guard Prakash — reached the spot on hearing the cries of the woman.

When they learnt that the gang had just fled, they along with a few residents chased them and managed to nab one of the accused, whom the police later identified as Surendar Kadak. Police investigations revealed that Arun hatched the robbery plan on Monday night along with three others who also worked as security guards in different places.

The police recovered Rs. 3 lakh in cash and some gold jewellery from Surendar while remaining the booty is said to be with Arun and the two others, who are at large.

Pillai is survived by his wife and two children. His son is working in Saudi Arabia while his daughter stays with her husband in Electronics City.

Precautions  to be taken while appointing security guards:

1. Always appoint a security guard from an agency registered with the Internal security division.

2. Demand the agency to produce the background security check verification from the police before accepting his or her posting. This applies to domestic staff too. Get maximum details of the employee – his identity and address proof, references and whereabouts of friends and relatives etc.

3. Keep the police in the loop. Inform them in writing of the appointment.