Surat cops go undercover, nab angadia theft duo in Rajasthan
The meticulously planned operation resulted in the recovery of diamonds worth Rs 15.56 lakh and showcased the extraordinary efforts made by Surat police to catch members of a gang involved in the Rs 41 lakh loot from an Angadia firm last month.
The arrested accused — Balwant alias Ballu from Jalore and Bhavani Singh alias Bhamasha from Jodhpur — were part of a gang involved in two separate incidents of theft and loot targeting the same Angadia firm.
One of the cases dates back to June 17, when diamonds and gold jewellery were stolen from an Angadia firm employee while he was travelling by bus from Ahmedabad. Based on CCTV footage and technical surveillance, the suspects were traced to Rajasthan.
According to Varachha police inspector RB Gojiya, the operation took an unexpected turn when the team learned that the accused had become aware of police presence in a local hotel.
To avoid blowing their cover, the officers vacated the hotel and adopted an unconventional strategy — disguising themselves in traditional rural attire and integrating into the local community.
Dressed in traditional rural attire, the team mingled with locals, selling milk and discussing animal husbandry to avoid suspicion. Gradually, they gained the villagers' trust and built human intelligence networks across Jodhpur and Jalore districts.
The operation, which lasted seventeen days, culminated in the arrest of the two accused. "As both cases are connected with common gang members, we had earlier arrested five accused. Now, we have arrested two more, who were also wanted in several robbery and theft cases in Rajasthan," Gojiya told TOI.
Police recovered original diamonds and other valuables from the accused. Two more members of the gang are currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace them.
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