Kosamba loot trail leads cops to Ratlam

The investigation into the sensational Kosamba loot case has taken the police to Ratlam. The development took place after the stolen ornaments were purchased by a Ratlam jeweller.

Thieves escaped to Ratlam and exchanged cash against gold ornaments with the jeweller. Based on the investigations, Surat police arrested a jeweller. They have brought him to the city for further interrogation.

After identifying the culprits, the cops zeroed in on jewellery shops, which purchased the stolen items from them.

While grilling the leader of the gang, Naharsinh Reda, police found that he had contacts with jewellery shops located at Dahod and Ratlam. Reda told police that he sold a portion of the jewellery to Nandulal Maratha, a Ratlam-based jeweller. Sources said that Maratha used to purchase valuable metals from such gangs at half the rate.

"Reda exchanged good quantity of gold ornaments for cash with Maratha. He also sold some portion to Ashok Jain, a Dahod-based jewellery shop owner. Jain has also been taken into custody for further investigation," a police official said.

Sources say that there is big market in Ratlam, which mostly deals in stolen gold and silver ornaments. Many gangs operating in Dahod, Godhra and Jhabua have established close contacts with traders operating in the market. In many cases, robbers strike a deal with traders even before committing the crime to prevent untoward circumstances.