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SIT set up to probe burglary at Haldwani jewellery shop
SSP Manjunath TC said three suspects had been identified and that teams had been dispatched to Moradabad, Bijnor, and Pilibhit to track them
HALDWANI: A special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the burglary at the jewellery shop in Haldwani, in which the thieves entered the premises via a two-foot-wide hole made in the wall of the adjoining shop that was undergoing renovations.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manjunath TC said three suspects had been identified and that teams had been dispatched to Moradabad, Bijnor, and Pilibhit to track them.
Police said the owner of Radhika Jewellers has complained that jewellery worth ₹1 crore was missing from the shop and that the valuables were not insured.
Manjunath said SP City Manoj Katyal is leading the SIT, which includes the Haldwani circle officer (CO) and eight inspectors, among others. SP Crime Dr Jagdish Chandra will oversee the probe.
Police said the jewellery shop was owned by Navneet Sharma, a resident of Eco Town, who runs the business along with his sons, Shubham and Rajat. Navneet closed the shop and went home on Friday night.
“When Navneet arrived at the shop on Sunday morning - the shop was closed on Saturday - the shutter was locked from the outside. But when he opened the shop, he found the entire place ransacked,” the SSP said.
The burglars had entered the premises from a two-foot-wide hole made into the shops’s wall with another shop. Around 25 kg of silver, 400 grams of gold jewellery, and about ₹25,000 in cash were stolen,” SSP Manjunath TC said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the burglars appeared to have gained access through the adjoining shop, which was under renovation. “Tools including hammers and a heavy gas cutter were recovered from the scene,” the SSP said, adding that the modus operandi suggests a well-planned operation.
The senior police officer said three suspects had been identified. “The main accused is a resident of Nepal. He reportedly rented a shop in Ramudi Jasuwa to sell vegetables. Police are also examining the involvement of gangs active in similar crimes in Jharkhand and Nepal,” he said.
“More than half a dozen people are currently in custody and being questioned. The role of the owner of the adjoining shop, through whose wall the breach was made, is also being interrogated,” he said.
