Suspected robbers entered the house of retired Inspector General of Police (IGP) T. Yoganand’s house at Kanuru on Saturday and threatened his parents at knife point to handover the valuables.
The burglars entered into the house, located at Teacher’s Colony, Tulsi Nagar, under Penamaluru police station limits, around 2 p.m. and threatened Mr. Yoganand’s parents, T. Venkata Thata Rao and Swarna Kumari, to handover the cash and gold ornaments. When they tried to resist, one of the two miscreants, tried to smother Mr. Thata Rao, who fell down from the chair and raised an alarm for help.
“Thieves entered into the house on the pretext of enquiring about COVID-19 vaccination. Later, they forced us to give the gold ornaments and money. When I refused to give, they tried to kill me by smothering with a pillow,” Mr. Thata Rao said in the complaint lodged with the Penamaluru police.
When their domestic help Sathipandu came out suddenly, the robbers escaped. A case has been registered and efforts are on to trace the accused, said Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata.
Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Harshavardhan Raju, who visited the scene of offence, said the accused were aged about 35 years.
The incident created panic in the locality as the robbers struck on the house in broad daylight. Clues team and sniffer dog squad were pressed into service. Mr. Yoganand, an IPS officer, served as Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner.
Mr. Thata Rao, aged about 92 years, his wife, along with adomestic help, were staying in the house, Mr. Harshavaradhan Raju said, adding that the accused might have conducted ‘recce’ before striking at the house.
“We seized a knife from the spot. Police are observing the CCTV footages available in the colony,” said a police officer.
