Two police officers among 7 arrested for robbing goldsmith in Davanagere

DAVANAGERE: Two police sub-inspectors (PSIs), Malappa Chippalkatti and Praveen Kumar, were arrested along with five others for robbing a goldsmith of lakhs of rupees worth of gold jewellery in Davangere.

The PSIs, who were transferred to Davangere from Ranebennur, stopped Vishwanath Arkasali at the Davanagere KSRTC bus stand, showed fake IDs and took him to a police jeep. They seized 80 grams of gold and threatened him not to report the incident.

The policemen took the goldsmith from the KSRTC bus stand.

The incident occurred on November 24, when Vishwanath, a goldsmith from Karwar, was travelling to Karwar with gold jewellery. The PSIs, who were in plainclothess, stopped him and claimed to be from the IGP squad. They took him to the KTJ Nagar police station, where they claimed to be taking him on the instructions of the IGP.

However, they took him to a different location, where they robbed him of the gold jewellery. Vishwanath suspected foul play and filed a complaint at the KTJ Nagar police station on Monday. The police arrested the two PSIs and two others, Satish Revankar and Nagaraj Revankar, who allegedly helped them.

Police Superintendent Uma Prashant told media persons, “A case of dacoity was registered at KTJ Nagar police station and two police sub-inspectors and five civilians, including two jewellers, were arrested and sent to judicial custody. Vishwanath was coming from Karwar to sell gold in Davanagere. The accused waylaid him at the KSRTC bus stand and threatened him that he was illegally transporting gold to Dubai and Goa. When Vishwanath claimed that he was transacting business legally, they brought him to the KTJ Nagar police station”.

“The accused had taken 76 gm of gold worth Rs 8 lakh from Vishwanth. Based on his complaint, we have so far arrested seven people who have been remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation is under way. Disciplinary action will be taken against the arrested police officials”, the SP added

The police have seized the gold jewellery, two cars and a couple of toy guns and are investigating the matter. The incident has sparked outrage with citizens calling for the officers to be punished for their actions amd for bringing disrepute to the police department.