Nagpur: Mankapur Police arrested a local extortionist after he reportedly threatened a shop owner with a knife and demanded protection money on Tuesday, May 13. 

The accused, Rohit alias Karan Purushottam Nokariya (22), a resident of Plot No. 54, Ingole Layout, Mankapur, stormed into Asha Enterprises—an electronics store near Vikas Bhavan—at around 8:30 PMon May 13. Brandishing a knife, he intimidated passersby and confronted the store owner, demanding Rs 5,000 from each local shopkeeper, threatening to return daily and disrupt business if his demands weren’t met.

“I’m Karan Nokariya. There are multiple cases against me. You all must pay me or face consequences,” he shouted, according to eyewitnesses. He even threatened to kill others with the knife before fleeing the scene.

Further investigation revealed that on January 4, 2025, the same accused had robbed the same shop of Rs 500 at knifepoint along with two accomplices.

Based on a complaint filed by Deepak Yuvraj Manmode (52), the police arrested Karan and booked him under BNS Sections 308(4), 309(4), 296, 3(5), and relevant sections of the Arms Act. One iron cleaver and Rs 500 in cash were recovered from him.