Delhi: CCTV clips of 'mechanic' with hidden sickle knocking on doors spark fear
A man, who poses as a mechanic or delivery worker, has triggered panic in Pitampura and Keshav Puram by ringing doorbells and attempting to enter homes. CCTV footage has repeatedly captured him, but police are still searching for the suspect after linking him to an earlier robbery.
The CCTV recording captures a perfectly innocuous exchange. Dressed in a grey shirt and black pants and sporting a cap, the middle-aged man rings a bell and calmly chats with the women who opened the door. It seems as though he is lost and he is soon seen walking out of the CCTV camera's frame. The next clip takes a turn: The man reappears in the frame, this time in a rush, and carrying a sickle.
The chilling episode is from Delhi's North West district and its CCTV footage is among several clips that have captured the man similarly ringing bells and knocking on doors. The clips capture exchanges from the afternoon when most houses have women or children alone at home.
The May 8 episode described above ended without any mishap, but has raised suspicion that the man could be linked to an April 21 robbery that took place in the neighbourhood.
With CCTV clips of similar incidents from North West Delhi's Pitampuram and Keshav Puram areas going viral, residents are now questioning why the police have not been able to trace the man.
THE MODUS OPERANDI
According to local accounts in Keshav Puram, on May 8, the man was captured ringing multiple doorbells in the C3 Block before allegedly attempting to force his way into homes. Residents say the man posed as a mechanic or service worker to gain trust before trying to enter houses.
One resident said a woman briefly opened the door before raising an alarm after she spotted him with a sickle, prompting him to flee. This is the part that was captured in the CCTV you see above. Another woman claimed that while fleeing the colony, the man discarded the sickle in a nearby park.
"He went to around six to eight houses in the block and kept ringing doorbells. Thankfully, no major incident happened here," said RK Gulati, the area's RWA president.
The May 8 CCTV footage has added to anxieties already simmering in nearby Pitampura, where a similar incident was reported from the Maurya Enclave area on April 21.
In that case, the accused allegedly entered a house where a teenager was alone and threatened him with a sharp-edged weapon before fleeing with cash and jewellery worth lakhs.
The victim's family has identified the suspect as Ajay Bagga, believed to be around 55 years old, though police have not officially confirmed the identity.
Residents across both neighbourhoods say afternoons have become particularly tense. Many families now avoid opening doors to unknown visitors without first checking CCTV feeds or confirming identities over intercoms.
Despite multiple CCTV clips circulating online and the suspect's face being clearly visible, police have yet to announce any arrest in the case.