In a daring late-night robbery, five masked men armed with iron pipes stormed a bungalow in Shapar Veraval, near Rajkot, and assaulted a 77-year-old businessman before fleeing with cash, gold jewellery and a licensed firearm worth over Rs 2.49 crore.
Robbery details
The robbery took place around 1:30 am on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday at the residence of Jitendrasinh Jadeja. The victim was alone at the time, as his wife had been admitted to a hospital in Rajkot following a leg fracture a few days earlier.
According to an FIR lodged at the Shapar Veraval police station against unidentified persons, Jadeja was awakened by a loud noise from the front door. When he stepped out onto the porch to investigate, he was confronted by five men with their faces covered.
Assault and theft
The assailants allegedly attacked the elderly man with an iron pipe, striking him on the chest, wrist and nose before knocking him down on the ground. They then covered his mouth to prevent him from raising an alarm.
The accused subsequently entered an adjoining room and broke open two iron cupboards. Police said they decamped with Rs 2.47 crore in cash that had been stored in separate plastic bags. They also allegedly stole 7 to 8 tolas of gold jewellery, including a gold chain, mangalsutra and matching ornaments worth around Rs 2 lakh. The robbers further made away with a licensed .32-bore rifle belonging to Jadeja’s son, Jayvirsinh, valued at approximately Rs 10,000.
Escape and investigation
Before fleeing, the accused locked Jadeja inside the room from the outside. The victim later found his wife’s mobile phone on the porch and contacted his son Jayvirsinh and nephew Omkarsinh, who rushed to the bungalow and alerted the police.
Police said Jadeja is engaged in the petrol pump business and land transactions. Investigators suspect the stolen cash may have been linked to recent land deals and are probing who may have had prior knowledge of the large amount of money kept at the residence.
As part of the investigation, police have deployed fingerprint experts, forensic science teams and a dog squad. Security has also been stepped up at highways, railway stations and bus terminals.
According to police sources, the accused allegedly stole three motorcycles from Shapar Veraval before executing the robbery and used them to escape. One of the stolen motorcycles has since been recovered abandoned.
Investigators believe the suspects entered Rajkot city through the Kothariya Solvent Road route. Police have registered a case under Sections 310(2), 311, 331(4), 331(6) and 332(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
