Jewellery shop looted at Khoraj, owners injured

A gang of 10-12 criminals looted Honey Jewellers in Khoraj village off SG highway on Saturday evening. Owner Balchand Soni and wife Mamata Soni were brutally attacked by the gang when they tried to resist their robbery attempt. The couple have been shifted to a private hospital in Gandhinagar.

According to the police sources, the incident took place around 8 pm on Saturday when the Soni couple were closing down their shop. Balchand used to take all the jewellery of his shop with him to his home everyday and Mamata used to help him.

On Saturday while the couple were about to close their shop after putting the jewellery in a bag, the gang attacked them. They hit Balchand on his head, beat up Mamata and ran away after snatching the bag full of ornaments. By the time people gathered there on hearing the alarm raised by the victims, the criminals had left the spot. Some villagers gave a hot chase to the outlaws and as were closing in on them, when the gang members started firing in air to terrorise them.

Scared villagers gave up their chase and the criminals made good their escape with the bag. Confirming the incident, Piyush Patel, district superintendent of police, Gandhinagar said, "According to primary information, it was a gang of 10-12 people. They struck when the couple were closing their shop. The value of the looted jewellery is yet to be known."

Patel further said, "We have sealed all the escape routes and increased patrolling to nab the criminals."