Mangalore: Heist in Bantwal Jewellery Shop on Saturday Night - Update
Update: Sunday, June 10, 9-30 am
The shop where the dacoity took place is located about 3 km from B C Road, in Bantwal bazar high street, close to the Loreto-Siddakatte-Moodbidri road junction.
According to eyewitnesses, the gang members with less than 35 years of age.
Speaking to Daijiworld's resident editor from the spot of robbery on Sunday morning, Dr Harsha, assistant superintendent of police, Puttur and a regular reader of Daijiworld, provided the following information.
Since the gang consisted of more than five persons, technically it is regarded as dacoity and a case has been registered as such.
Although the initial reports said a blue Maruti car was involved, later no eyewitnesses came forward to testify it. Hence the mode of escape by the culprits is not confirmed.
The police reached the spot by 9-40 pm and Dr Harsha also reached there the soon after.
The police conducted a combing operation in the areas around, looking for possible hideouts, but with no success so far.
More details are awaited.
Breaking news:
Mangalore: Daring Armed Robbery in Bantwal Jewellery Shop
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MB)
with inputs from Bantwal correspondent (MM)
Pics Arpana Hosamane / Austin Pinto
Bantwal: Jun 10: In a daring act, a gang of robbers executed a filmi-style robbery in a jewellery shop here around 9-30 pm on Saturday, June 9. Flashing of firearms and blasting of country bombs in the crime has sent a shiver among the citizens here.
Around 9-30 pm, just before the jewellery shop of Suresh V Baliga was being closed, a group of six men entered the shop, posing as customers. They suddenly flashed their pistols and scared the staff intosilence and submission. Then they started looting all the jewellery in the front showcases.
As the public came to know about the sudden raid, crowds started gathering outside the shop. The robbers appeared to be well prepared for it. Threatening them with their firearms and blasting country bombs, the robbers scared them away before fleeing in their blue Maruti car bearing a Maharashtra number-plate, which had been parked at a safe distance. Before boarding the vehicle, as the crowds chased them, they exploded more country bombs. The car is said to have sped towards Moodbidri.
In the escape act, one among the gang is said to have been injured by a broken glass shard. As they were fleeing, Jaya, one among the crowd, happened to be on the way and he got pushed to the ground and was injured.
The robbers are said have been well dressed and spoke in Hindi, eyewitnesses said. Puttur ASP Dr Harsha, on receiving the news, rushed to the spot and alerted all police stations around. He also ordered a road-junction check on vehicles. No clues were available so far. The area was cordoned by the police to protect fingerprints and other clues.
The police sources said that continuous rain that fell on the day might may have destroyed some of the possible clues like footprints.