AHMEDABAD: The prime shooter in the sensational Rajkot refinery robbery and murder case in Gujarat opened fire on a police team while being taken to recover concealed weapons on October 16, prompting officers to retaliate and shoot him in the leg.
The accused, 21-year-old Anurag Rajput, allegedly pulled out a hidden firearm and fired two rounds at the personnel near Gundala village on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway. Police returned one round in self-defence, injuring him above the right knee. He was subsequently taken to Rajkot Civil Hospital under heavy security.
The dramatic exchange of fire came just days after the Rajkot Crime Branch, in coordination with Rajasthan Police and other law enforcement teams, arrested 10 suspects in the robbery-cum-murder case involving Tanvi Gold Refinery in Rajkot's Aji GIDC area. The police have also claimed to have recovered the entire stolen consignment of gold and silver, valued at more than Rs 1.52 crore.
According to the police complaint, the incident occurred when a Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) team, accompanied by two independent witnesses, took Rajput to a location close to the entrance of Gundala village to recover weapons allegedly used in the October 14 crime.
During the exercise, the accused led the team to a thicket of baval (acacia) bushes, where he pointed out a country-made pistol valued at approximately Rs 10,000. However, the recovery operation took a violent turn when he allegedly produced another concealed firearm and suddenly opened fire on the police personnel.
According to the complaint filed by Police Sub-Inspector Vanrajsinh Dodiya, the accused fired two rounds at the team and also attempted to fire a third. The sudden gunfire triggered panic at the spot, forcing the officers to respond to the armed attack.
PSI Dodiya retaliated by firing one round in self-defence, hitting Rajput in the leg. The accused fell to the ground with a gunshot injury and was immediately overpowered by the police. No police personnel were injured in the exchange of fire.
Following the incident, senior police officers rushed to the spot and the hospital to assess the situation. Rajput was provided initial medical treatment before being shifted to Rajkot Civil Hospital for further care under police guard.
Rajkot Zone-2 Deputy Commissioner of Police Rakesh Desai confirmed that the firing occurred during an operation to recover weapons linked to the robbery and murder case.
According to Desai, the DCB team led by PSI Dodiya had taken Rajput to the R.K. Industries area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Airport Police Station, to recover the weapon used in the crime. During the operation, the accused allegedly retrieved another firearm hidden at the location and fired at the police team.
Desai said the police fired in self-defence, injuring the accused, who was then shifted to hospital. He confirmed that no police personnel sustained injuries and said a separate case would be registered at the Airport Police Station, followed by further legal action.
Based on Dodiya's complaint, proceedings have been initiated against Rajput under Sections 109(1), 132 and 262 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Sections 25(1-B)(a) and 27 of the Arms Act, and Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act.
The encounter-like exchange of fire adds a fresh twist to the October 14 robbery and murder outside Tanvi Gold Refinery, also referred to in the investigation as Tanvi Exports Private Limited, in Rajkot's Aji GIDC area.
The victim, Laljibhai Sardhara, was shot dead during the attack, in which the assailants allegedly looted approximately 1 kg of gold and 3 kg of silver. Three rounds were reportedly fired during the original attack.
In a major operation, Rajkot City Police deployed 10 to 15 teams and coordinated with police units across three to four districts and two states to track down the suspects. Investigators arrested all 10 accused within around nine hours of the crime, identifying them as alleged members of a gang from Uttar Pradesh.
The police have claimed to have recovered the entire stolen property, with the gold and silver together valued at more than Rs 1.52 crore.
While the swift arrests and recovery marked a breakthrough in the case, the latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the risks involved in taking armed robbery suspects to crime scenes for evidence recovery. Investigators will now have to establish the circumstances in which Rajput allegedly accessed the second weapon, how it remained concealed at the site and whether further security lapses or accomplices were involved.
The investigation into the original robbery and murder, as well as the fresh case arising from the alleged attack on the police, is continuing.