Lured with cheap Dubai gold biscuits, jeweller robbed of Rs 3 lakh; two suspects injured during escape

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A jeweller from Majalgaon in Beed district was allegedly robbed of Rs 3 lakh on May 17 by a gang that lured him with the promise of supplying gold biscuits at below-market rates, claiming the bullion had been smuggled from Dubai without taxes.According to police, jeweller Datta Kakade of Takarwan village in Majalgaon taluka came in contact with one of the suspects through social media, who offered discounted gold. “On May 17, Kakade and his artisan Satish Dixit travelled to Kej around 3.45pm carrying Rs 3 lakh to finalise the deal,” an officer said.Police said the two were taken to a secluded spot near the wall of a secondary school within the premises of a sugar factory near Umri Phata on Beed Road. “Two accused, identified as Appa Shivaji Shinde and Vishal Ramkisan Shinde, from Mandwa in Dharashiv district, allegedly snatched a bag containing Rs 3 lakh from Dixit. One of the suspects also attacked Kakade with an iron rod, injuring him on the back,” the officer said.Following the robbery, the accused fled on motorcycles with other accomplices. Alerted by the victims’ cries, local residents rushed to the spot, prompting the gang members to scatter across nearby fields. “Two of the suspects met with an accident while attempting to escape. Their motorcycle crashed into a car near Kej as they were being chased by the residents. Both suffered injuries and were taken into custody. They are currently undergoing treatment at the sub-district hospital in Kej under police guard,” the officer said.A sharp knife and a bundle of cable wire were recovered from the accident site, police said.Assistant inspector Sandeep Manjarme, sub-inspector Umesh Nikam and other personnel reached the spot after receiving information and recorded the jeweller’s statement. Police suspect the involvement of more gang members and have launched a search to trace them.Beed superintendent of police Navneet Kanwat urged the public to remain cautious. “People should refrain from falling prey to such online traps. We are confident of arresting all the accused and uncovering their modus operandi,” he said.Police said the situation could have been more serious had the incident occurred at night or in an isolated location, as such robberies often turn violent when victims resist.