Mangalore: Gold Merchant Robbed-off Ornaments worth Rs 20 Lac

Pics: Manju Neereshwallya
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 17: In an apparently pre-planned operation, robbers relieved a gold merchant from Rajastan of readymade gold ornaments weighing about 1,600 grams worth over Rs 20 lac in the market, at about 9.30 pm on Wednesday July 16.

Eshwar Purwal (32), a readymade ornaments merchant from Rajastan, was walking on the Market Road towards Hampankatta signal, when he was attacked by a gang of unidentified robbers. They hit his head with a wooden club before snatching a suitcase containing ornaments from him and boarding a car waiting for them near the Hampankatta signal.

It appears that the robbers had meticulously planned their moves and were awaiting the merchant to approach the signal. The policemen suspect that the gang had four members. The policemen said that the robbers escaped in a Maruti Zen car that had been parked, facing the Hampankatta circle.

Eshwar Purwal, who has been seriously wounded in the incident, has been admitted to the district Wenlock Hospital. He has sustained wounds to his head and chest. His life is not in danger but he is not in a position to speak yet, the doctors are said to have informed the policemen.

Eshwar arrived in the city from Mumbai on Tuesday July 15 and had sold ornaments to various shops here. He was returning to his room in a lodge after delivering readymade ornaments to a shop located on the Market Road in the city, when the robbers struck. Eshwar, it is understood, used to come to the city frequently for selling gold ornaments. Bunder police have registered a case.