Arrah (Bihar), March 10 (IANS) In a daring daylight robbery, a gang of armed criminals looted jewellery worth crores rupees from the Tanishq showroom at Gopali Chowk in the Arrah police station area of Bhojpur district of Bihar on Monday, police officials said.
The loot included gold, silver, and diamond ornaments.
The robbers first overpowered the security guard at the entrance, snatched his weapon, and assaulted him before carrying out the heist.
The incident triggered chaos in the area, with shopkeepers and bystanders left in shock. The exact value of the stolen items is yet to be ascertained.
Victim guard Manoj Kumar recounted the ordeal, stating that the showroom had opened at 10 a.m. on Monday, ahead of Holi.
"Six criminals arrived in a car, parking it across the street. As per showroom policy, we do not allow groups of more than four to enter at once, so we permitted them entry in pairs. When the sixth person arrived, he held a pistol to my head, snatched my weapon, and assaulted me. Then, they started filling their bags with jewellery," he said.
During the heist, the criminals also attacked a salesman before fleeing with the valuables.
Following the incident, police officials, along with senior Tanishq company representatives from Patna, arrived at the showroom. The company is assisting the police in assessing the losses and investigating the case.
"We are providing all necessary information to the authorities. This is a major setback for us," said a company official.
Meanwhile, showroom employees alleged a delay in police response. "There were 8-9 armed criminals inside the showroom. When we called the police, they were still inside the showroom. Had the police arrived on time, the robbers might have been caught. But they kept saying they were on their way. By the time they reached, the criminals had already escaped," an employee said.
The investigation is underway, and authorities are scanning CCTV footage for leads.
