A jewellery shop was looted at gunpoint by three armed men who entered the Darshan Jewellers on Golibar Road in Ghatkopar West at around 10.30 am on Wednesday. According to the Ghatkopar police, the owner, Darshan Metkari, who was inside the shop, was also ambushed by the robbers, during which he suffered an injury to his neck and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
“We didn’t even realise what was happening; my staff heard the commotion as Darshan screamed for help, and by the time they went out, the robbers were running away, and one of them fired his gun in the air,” said the owner of one of the adjacent shops, requesting anonymity. The eyewitnesses to the incident said that two of the robbers fled on a two-wheeler, while the third ran away while firing bullets in the air.
Cops examine CCTV footage. PICS/KIRTI SURVE PARADE
Vikrant Metkari, Darshan’s brother, told mid-day, “We were not at the shop and don’t exactly know what happened since we haven’t spoken to Darshan yet. He called our mother’s phone to inform us that we had been robbed. He is talking to the police and handling things. The accused ran away with property worth a few lakh.” “I heard gunshots; initially I thought it might be a firecracker, but when I saw a large crowd gathered near the jewellery shop, I was sure that it was a gunshot,” said a resident from the locality, requesting anonymity.
Rakesh Ola, DCP (Zone VII), said, “In the morning at around 10.30 am three unknown accused entered a jewellery shop at Amrit Nagar, Ghatkopar. They robbed and injured the owner.The accused ran away with property worth Rs 3 lakh. This case has been detected. Two accused have been detained and further investigation is going on. The third accused is on the run.” Based on CCTV footage, the Ghatkopar police have apprehended two of the suspects.
Jewellers’ association says
Following the robbery, mid-day contacted the India Bullion and Jewellers Association Ltd for a comment on how jewellers can safeguard themselves from such incidents. CA Sudendra Mehta, a spokesperson of the IBJA, told mid-day, “The best thing a jeweller can do to safeguard themselves and their jewellery is to have a ‘Jewellers Block Insurance’; it protects them in cases of robbery as well. In reality one cannot stop thieves from robbing them, but they can instead insure their jewellery, which saves them from monetary loss.
