Lucknow: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has made significant progress in a major jewellery heist case, arresting a prominent gangster and an accomplice. The arrests were made in connection with a daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in West Bengal last month. The STF successfully recovered ₹20 lakh in cash, along with gold and diamond jewellery, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The apprehended individuals have been identified as Adarsh Singh Behda, a resident of Behda village in Jaunpur district, and Suraj Seth from Varanasi district. They were taken into custody on Tuesday near the Gambhirpur toll plaza in Azamgarh. The recovered items include ₹20 lakh in cash, 12 diamond rings, a gold ring, a diamond necklace, two mobile phones, and a new Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle, reportedly purchased with the proceeds of the crime.
The robbery occurred on August 3rd when six armed individuals stormed the Sohan Gold and Diamond jewellery shop in West Bengal’s Hooghly district. The perpetrators assaulted staff and customers before fleeing with approximately five to six kilograms of gold and diamond ornaments, valued at around ₹7 crore. A case was registered at the Dankuni police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
Initial investigations indicated the involvement of professional criminals from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Following a request for assistance from the West Bengal Police, who provided CCTV footage and intelligence, the STF’s Varanasi unit identified Behda, known for his involvement in various criminal activities including loot and dacoity.
Acting on a tip-off, STF officials apprehended Behda and Seth in Azamgarh. During interrogation, Behda confessed to hatching the plan while residing in Varanasi, where he connected with associates from Bihar. The group traveled to Kolkata, and armed with stolen motorcycles, executed the heist the following day. They reportedly fled the scene in a sports utility vehicle, later switching to another vehicle to reach Varanasi.
The stolen ornaments were allegedly distributed among gang members, with some being sold to contacts in Varanasi and Jaunpur for substantial sums. The STF is continuing its investigation to apprehend the remaining absconding members of the gang. The two arrested individuals have been handed over to the West Bengal Police for further legal proceedings.