Robbers kill Wadala jewellery shop owner

Two unidentified robbers fled empty-handed but killed a Wadala jewellery shopowner when he raised an alarm, reports HT Correspondent.

Two unidentified robbers fled empty-handed but killed a Wadala jewellery shopowner when he raised an alarm.

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On Monday evening, Mangilal Kumawat (35) was at the counter of his shop Minakshi Jewellers near Nadkarni Park, when two men armed with a chopper and gun barged in.

“When the robbers told Kumawat to hand over the gold jewellery on display in the shop window, he started shouting ‘Chor, chor…’ and they panicked,” said Senior Police Inspector Vilas Shinde of the Wadala police station.

By the time other shopkeepers rushed to Kumawat’s aid, the robbers were at the store’s entrance.

“When Kumawat caught one of the robbers, he slashed his chest and neck with the chopper to free himself. Kumawat staggered out of his shop and collapsed. The robbers also attacked the other shopkeepers, who suffered minor injuries,” added Shinde.

Kumawat was rushed to KEM hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The jewellery shop, co-owned by Sambat Jain (40), Shankar Jain (37) and Kumawat, does not have closed-circuit television cameras.

The police pressed the dog squad into service.

“The dogs followed the scent for two km in the east direction and then lost it, said R.K. Padmanabhan, joint commissioner of police (South region). “We are preparing sketches of the robbers based on the descriptions given by the shopkeepers. We will also hold nakabandis at nearby check points so that they cannot leave the city,” he added.