Criminals in police uniform rob jeweller of Rs20L in Saran

PATNA/CHHAPRA: Armed criminals in police uniform looted Rs20 lakh and a mobile phone from Kolkata-based jeweller Nipin Das at Fursatpur village under the Garkha police station area in Saran district late Sunday evening.
Police said the incident took place near Kewari turning on the outskirts of Fursatpur on NH-722 at around 7.45pm when Nipin Das was returning to Kolkata from Chhapra in his car after collecting money from some local jewellery shopowners.
Nipin told the police that five criminals, including three in police uniform, in a white SUV with police logo and fitted with a siren, overtook his car and forced the driver to stop it at gunpoint on the pretext of vehicle checking. They searched the bag while posing as police personnel and took away the cash, his cellphone and the car key. The victim somehow informed the police about it at around 11pm.
“I couldn’t suspect any foul play as three of them were wearing police uniform and carried weapons,” Nipin told the investigating officer.
Saran SP Santosh Kumar said the jeweller had come to Chhapra four days ago and stayed in a rented accommodation. On Sunday, he was returning to Kolkata after collection, he said.
“A special investigation team has been set up to crack the case at the earliest. The modus operandi suggests that it’s the handiwork of a professional gang,” the SP told this newspaper over the phone.
The police have obtained CCTV footage from the area to identify the gang.
In Gopalganj, another jeweller was robbed of some gold jewellery and cash near Brindawan village under the Uchkagaon police station area on Monday. “The details about the incident are awaited,” a senior police officer said.