In a daring daylight robbery that has sent shockwaves through Rajkot’s trading community, two armed men allegedly looted ₹19 lakh in cash from an angadia firm’s branch office and escaped within 20 seconds. The incident took place on Thursday morning in one of the city’s busiest jewellery trading hubs near Bhavnagar Road.
Police have registered a case against the two unidentified accused and launched a massive search operation using CCTV footage, technical surveillance and human intelligence to trace them.
Robbery Took Place Minutes After Office Opened
According to police, the robbery occurred at the Prime Enterprise Angadia branch office on Bhavnagar Road around 10:30 am.
The complainant, Alkesh Dave, an employee of the firm, had left his home carrying cash in two separate bags. After delivering one bag at the company’s head office on Gondal Road, he reached the Bhavnagar Road branch with the second bag containing ₹19 lakh.
As soon as he entered the office, he placed the cash bag on a table.
Police said the office had been open for barely one-and-a-half minutes when the two robbers walked in pretending to be customers.
Robbers Posed as Customers Before Attacking
According to the FIR, one of the accused spoke to Alkesh Dave in Gujarati and said he wanted to transfer ₹2 lakh through the angadia service.
As Dave turned his attention towards the man, the accused suddenly grabbed him by the neck and punched him in the face.
At the same time, the second robber allegedly pulled out a firearm, pointed it at Dave and picked up the bag containing ₹19 lakh in cash.
The entire robbery was carried out in less than 20 seconds, leaving the employee with little time to react.
Employee Chased the Accused
Despite being assaulted, Alkesh Dave attempted to stop the robbers and ran after them outside the office.
A brief scuffle reportedly took place outside the premises as Dave tried to recover the cash. Hearing the commotion, shopkeepers and people from nearby businesses rushed to help.
However, one of the robbers allegedly waved the gun and threatened the crowd, forcing everyone to back away. Taking advantage of the panic, the two accused escaped.
Escaped on Motorcycle
Police said the robbers fled the scene on a motorcycle and sped away towards Bhavnagar Road before anyone could stop them.
Investigators are now trying to identify the motorcycle and trace the escape route using surveillance cameras installed in and around the area.
FIR Registered Under Robbery and Arms Act
Following the incident, Alkesh Dave lodged a complaint at the B Division Police Station.
Police have registered a case against the unidentified accused under sections related to robbery, attempt to cause death or grievous hurt during robbery, along with offences under the Arms Act. The investigation is currently underway.
Police Scanning CCTV Footage
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Jagdish Bangarwa said investigators are examining CCTV footage from the area and are using technical surveillance and human intelligence to identify and arrest the robbers.
Police teams have been deployed at multiple locations as part of the search operation.
Officials are also speaking to eyewitnesses and collecting additional evidence from the crime scene.
Traders Raise Security Concerns
The incident has sparked serious concerns among traders operating in the Pedak Road, Sant Kabir Road and Bhavnagar Road areas.
These localities are major wholesale hubs for silver and imitation jewellery, where angadia firms regularly transport and handle large amounts of cash and valuable consignments.
Following the robbery, traders have demanded stronger security measures and increased police patrolling to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Investigation Continues
Police are continuing their investigation to identify the two accused and recover the stolen cash. CCTV footage from nearby establishments is being analysed, while technical surveillance and intelligence inputs are being used to track the suspects.
The daring robbery, executed within seconds in broad daylight, has once again highlighted the security challenges faced by businesses that deal with large cash transactions in Rajkot’s busy commercial areas.
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