'Diamonds worth lakhs could have gone down the drain'

MUMBAI: Diamonds worth lakhs could have gone down the drain after the blast at Opera House on July 13, Mumbai Diamond Merchants' Association vice-president Mahendra Gandhi told mediapersons at the police commissionerate on Friday.
He said many diamond brokers were in the lane at the time of the blast. "I cannot say the actual value of diamonds lost.But we have recovered some pieces and they are in our safety vault. Some were handed over to us by the police," he said, adding, "Some diamonds may have been washed away into a drain next to the blast site."
He said diamond merchants and brokers were not allowed access for nearly 12 hours while special investigation teams combed the area.
Gandhi said nobody had come forward to claim the diamonds recovered from the site.
But sources at Panchratna said families of some victims may come forward to claim them. "Some brokers insure their diamonds, so if they file for claims, the insurance firms could approach the association to inspect them," said a diamond broker. Brokers usually keep diamonds in hidden pockets in their vests.