BHOPAL: Around 50 fingerprints, a gas cylinder and a set of tools recovered near the crime scene could provide crucial leads in the investigation into a sensational burglary at a premier jewellery showroom in Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Lime City’, Katni, where gold and diamond jewellery worth over Rs 12 crore was stolen.
The owners and staff of Kisna Jewellers in the Madhavnagar area were left stunned when they opened the showroom shutters around 11 am on Thursday to discover that the entire stock of gold and diamond jewellery had been stolen.
“The entire jewellery stock, estimated to be worth over Rs 12 crore, has been taken from the almirahs. The burglars also created a huge opening in the rear wall to gain entry into the showroom. We have lost all our jewellery,” showroom owner Mohan Bajaj said.
Police rushed to the spot after receiving information about the burglary. Preliminary investigations revealed that the burglars had switched off the showroom’s CCTV cameras before executing the heist.
Investigators found that the accused had broken through the showroom’s nine-inch-thick rear wall to gain entry. The wall borders an area surrounded by a cluster of trees, a graveyard and an abandoned bauxite mine, potentially providing the burglars with a relatively secluded approach to the premises.
While the showroom owner estimated the value of the stolen jewellery at over Rs 12 crore, Katni Superintendent of Police Abhinay Vishwakarma said the preliminary assessment put the loss at around Rs 10 crore.
“Investigations so far suggest that the stolen jewellery could be worth around Rs 10 crore. Circumstantial evidence indicates that the crime may have been committed by an organised gang,” Vishwakarma said.
Sources familiar with the investigation told TNIE that around 50 fingerprints had been recovered from inside the showroom. A gas cylinder and tools, suspected to have been brought for cutting through the metal safe, were also recovered near the abandoned mine adjoining the showroom.
The investigation has also brought possible security lapses into focus. The security alarm reportedly sounded during the night, but the guard on duty allegedly failed to respond. The guard is being questioned by police.
Police suspect that the burglary took place between 2 am and 3 am. The accused allegedly disabled the CCTV cameras to prevent the recording of footage that could help establish their identities.
Investigators are examining CCTV footage from cameras installed along nearby roads and at key locations to reconstruct the route taken by the burglars, both while approaching the showroom and while escaping with the stolen jewellery.
Multiple police teams have been constituted to crack the high-profile case. The security guard on duty during the night is also being questioned as investigators seek to establish the sequence of events and identify those involved.
