Hammer, gun & getaway: Jeweller battered, gold and cash looted

Raipur: A late-night robbery in Bilaspur has triggered a citywide alert after a jeweller was attacked with a hammer and robbed of gold and cash worth Rs 3.35 crore.The victim, Santosh Tiwari, who runs jewellery shop was returning home on Tuesday night after closing and routinely carrying the day's stock in his car, police said. A white car was parked on the road ahead and it allegedly rammed his vehicle, forcing him to stop. Police said the attackers were in a group of around half a dozen picked a fight, pulled out a pistol and began assaulting him with a hammer and pistol butt, leaving him bleeding and seriously injured, before fleeing with his car carrying about 2.2 kg of gold ornaments and Rs 3.5 lakh cash, assessed worth Rs 3.35 crore.Tiwari managed to reach home and then the police station with the help of a relative, after which he was admitted to a private hospital. Doctors said he suffered deep head wounds and required around 50 stitches; he was later shifted to the ICU.The assault was captured on CCTV at Sarkanda region.The footage shows the attackers beating the jeweller and one suspect allegedly brandishing a pistol to push bystanders away, police said. Investigators recovered a magazine and live cartridges from the spot, and the jeweller's car on the outskirts of the city. Officials said there was no confirmation of shots being heard by residents.Bilaspur IG Ramgopal Garg visited the crime scene and directed officers to intensify checks across the city, district and neighbouring districts. Police teams sealed the area, called in forensic experts, a dog squad and fingerprint specialists, and launched a night-long search operation. Officials also said the vehicles left behind by the suspects, a car and a two-wheeler, appeared to be stolen, suggesting pre-planning.Multiple CCTV feeds from the victim's route are being analysed to identify the suspects and trace their movements.A special team has been formed to track the gang while no arrest was reported at the time of filing this report.