A man carrying a bag with a large amount of cash to deposit in a bank on Al Rigga Road in Dubai was seriously injured when an unidentified man fired at him with what is believed to be a hunting rifle and tried to grab the bag, reported the Khaleej Times on Monday.
The robbery bid was, however, foiled by a passerby who came to the assistance of the victim and picked up the bag.
The gunman escaped and police sources told the paper last night they had launched a manhunt.
The incident was watched by a number of people and some of them are reported to have provided help to police investigators.
According to the sources, the victim of the robbery bid was carrying Dh254,000 (about $69,000) in the bag. Police declined to identify him but he is believed to be from Pakistan.
The sources said the assailant had suddenly appeared on the pavement and shot the victim in the head with what appeared to be a hunting rifle. The injury was quite serious and caused intense bleeding, said the report.
The bag of cash fell on the ground and the gunman was about to grab it when the passerby, who the sources said was an Arab expatriate, rushed to the aid of the victim.
Other details provided by the sources were sketchy, but one official said that the timely intervention by the passerby was responsible for foiling the robbery bid. As the assailant saw the Arab expatriate running towards him he left the bag and escaped on a motorcycle driven by another man.
The sources declined to speculate on the nationality of the attacker. Police were called and officials at the bank were alerted.
The wounded man was taken to the hospital and it was learned last night that his condition, although serious, was not life-threatening. According to eyewitnesses, the moneybag was stained with blood.
Investigators are reported to have recorded statements of the victim and the man who came to his help, said the paper – Albawaba.com
