Five people were arrested for their alleged involvement in a dacoity in which a West Bengal-based jeweller was robbed of silver bullion and cash after armed men intercepted his vehicle and shot at his driver near the proposed AIIMS site in Darbhanga, police said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday evening, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Jagunath Raddi said police had recovered 62.040 kg of silver-like metal biscuits and ₹ 5,94,100 in cash. Police said a special team led by the Sadar-2 sub-divisional police officer was formed on the SSP’s directions after they received information about the dacoity on Monday. The accused assembled near Shobhan Chowk around 9.30pm on Saturday, according to police. Acting on technical inputs, police raided the house of Chhotu Kumar Yadav in Kadirabad and recovered ₹ 5,94,100 allegedly concealed in a black plastic bag inside a dressing-table drawer. His interrogation led police to Kushal Restaurant, where searches of vehicles parked nearby yielded 56 silver-like metal biscuits from an SUV and another vehicle. Police subsequently recovered the remaining material, taking the total seizure to 62.040 kg. An empty cartridge case bearing the markings ‘7.65 MM’ and ‘KF’ was recovered from the crime scene during a subsequent inspection. The five arrested have been identified as Chhotu Kumar Yadav (29), Vishal Mahaseth alias Vicky (35) and Santosh Kumar Sah (63), all residents of Kadirabad; Dheeraj Soni, a resident of Jitugachhi under Laheriasarai Town police station; and Tejas Abhishek Chandra (23), a resident of Shubhankarpur. A case has been registered under sections 310(2), 311, 317(3), 336(3), 338, 61(2) and 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 27 of the Arms Act.
The investigation revealed that the crime was allegedly planned at Kushal Restaurant in Rambagh, owned by absconding accused Nikki Sah. Because he regularly travelled between West Bengal and Darbhanga carrying large quantities of silver and cash, the gang had reportedly been tracking the jeweller’s movements and identified him as a target. The group intercepted the vehicle near the main gate of the proposed AIIMS campus, shot at the driver and fled with bags containing silver biscuits and cash. Two cars and several mobile phones allegedly used in the crime were also seized. Nikki Sah allegedly provided them with information about the jeweller’s vehicle, following which five men on two motorcycles pursued it towards Ekmi and intercepted it near the proposed AIIMS campus. Yadav was apprehended while attempting to flee. The biscuits were sealed in the presence of a forensic science laboratory team to establish their composition. Police also arrested Vishal Mahaseth alias Vicky and Dheeraj Soni during the investigation. The seized property includes two cars allegedly bearing forged number plates and three mobile phones.
Police said raids were continuing to arrest other suspects, including Nikki Sah, and recover the remaining stolen property and the firearm allegedly used in the robbery.
One of them opened fire, injuring the driver, identified as Kaushik, before the gang fled towards Kadirabad bus stand with the valuables. The incident took place between 10pm and 11pm on Saturday on the Shobhan-Ekmi road, under Simri police station limits.
