WB artisan booked in U.P.’s Meerut for ‘decamping’ with gold worth ₹23 lakh

Meerut police registered a case against artisan Pradeep Bera for stealing 300g of gold worth ₹23 lakh, with traders seeking action on similar thefts.

The Delhi Gate police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district on Friday registered a case against a West Bengal artisan for allegedly decamping with 300 gram gold worth ₹23 lakh on October 13, police said.

Artisan Pradeep Bera of Hooghly district’s Thakurani village allegedly fled with the gold on October 13. (For Representation)

Goldsmith Sudeep Bhuiya informed the police that he collects raw gold from bullion traders and gives it to the artisans he has employed for making jewellery items.

As per him, he had given 300 grams gold to one of his artisans Pradeep Bera of Hooghly district’s Thakurani village on October 2 for preparing jewellery items that were to be delivered on October 15.

SP (city) Ayush Vikram Singh said an investigation was underway into the case. Vijay Anand Agarwal, general secretary, Meerut Bullion Traders’ Association, said similar incidents also had happened in the past.

“A delegation of bullion traders will soon meet Meerut ADG DK Thakur to ensure arresting of artisans, majority of them from West Bengal, who had escaped with gold and to recover their looted gold,” Agarwal said.