Indian-origin couple Harbhjan Noorpuri, 86 and his wife Pritam, 89, were brutally assaulted by burglars at their home in Uxbridge. After hearing some noise from the bedroom, Harbhjan went to investigate. He found a masked man standing on his bed. The intruder had something in his hand and, as the man swung it, the 86-year-old grabbed it. They struggled, and two other men who had climbed through the window forced Harbhjan into the narrow gap between the room’s two beds.
They assaulted him. Harbhjan cannot remember how many times he was punched and kicked, but four fractured ribs testify to the savagery of the attack. Then Pritam came into the bedroom and, despite being 89 herself, fought with the attackers and tried to get them off her husband. By this time a fourth burglar came into their home. She was slammed into a television, and forced into the same narrow gap where her husband was immobilised by the burglars.
The husband and wife both had to be treated in hospital for their injuries. The beating would have continued, but Pritam saw one of the pair’s council alarms below the bed. While two of the men searched the house, stealing her jewellery box, Pritam grabbed it and pressed the button. Her son Harpreet believes if she hadn’t, his parents might be dead.
This was the second attempted burglary of the Noorpuris’ home in two years, and the experience is becoming more common in West London, with police only recently getting the number of aggravated robberies back under control after a steady rise.
Burglaries in West London
From July 2017 to June 2019, there were over 3,600 burglaries in Hillingdon, over 4,100 in Ealing, and over 3,300 in Hounslow. Detective Chief Inspector Alex Bingley said: "The West Area’s Proactive Unit have been working hard to tackle aggravated burglaries in the area, resulting in a significant drop in reports since April. We’ve carried out several successful operations specifically targeting organised criminal groups and arrested and charged some prolific offenders in the community.”
After the attack, Pritam spent the night in hospital. Her husband spent four, being transferred to St Mary's Hospital with doctors fearing his damaged ribs could affect his lungs. Now they live in fear, too frightened to return to their bungalow in Uxbridge. Now, they are staying with their son Harpreet, in Hayes.
Spooked by door slamming
Harpreet said even now when he comes home from work, his parents are spooked by the sound of the front door slamming. The couple's other son, Satnam, said his mother told him she was seeing the burglars everywhere, and imagining them in the house. The attack, Harpreet said, was not targeted, and could have happened to anyone. He said his parents were very popular in that area. The old couple, now hope to find a new home in Hayes, but Harpreet said he is happy to house them as long as they needed.
