In a major breakthrough, eight members of an interstate gang were arrested for stealing cash and jewellery valued at Rs 1.05 crore from a bank in Surat, Gujarat. The gang members were arrested across multiple locations, including Surat, Delhi, Punjab, and Bihar, while the mastermind, Suraj Luhar, a resident of West Bengal, remains at large.
The police have recovered cash and valuables worth Rs 53.58 lakh from the accused, who include Dipak Mahto, Yash Mahatma, Barkhukumar Bind, Suraj Singh, Jayprakash Bind, Kundankumar Bind, Khiru Bind, and Badal Mahato. The theft occurred on the night of December 16, when the gang entered the Union Bank of India (UBI) branch in Palod, Mangrol taluka. They gained access by drilling a hole through a wall that separated the bank from a private office.
The thieves managed to break open six lockers, making off with cash and jewellery worth Rs 1.05 crore, including 1.47 kg of gold and 4 kg of silver ornaments. After reviewing over 500 CCTV clips, the police traced the crime back to Dipak Mahato and Yash Mahatma, who had conducted a recce of the bank and assisted Luhar in planning the heist. They used a pickup truck to transport the stolen goods.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Khiru and Kundankumar Bind in Bihar’s Naxal-affected Munger district, while Badalkumar Mahato was captured in Bhagalpur. Jayprakash Bind and Suraj Singh were arrested in Delhi. The gang’s coordination was remarkable: Mahato, a local labour contractor, called in Luhar to work in Surat, where Luhar meticulously carried out the bank’s surveillance over a span of 20 days.
The robbery was executed with the help of heavy tools like a concrete breaker and electric grinder. After stealing the items, the gang split up and traveled to different locations, including Vadodara and Delhi, where they divided the loot at Barkhukumar’s godown. In exchange for allowing the use of his storage space, Barkhukumar received a gold chain as a reward.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing their search for Luhar, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the operation.