Jewellery shop owner shot dead during robbery attempt in Surat, one nabbed; manhunt launched for 3 accused

SURAT: A jewellery shop owner was killed and another person injured during an attempted armed robbery at a showroom in Surat’s Sachin area on Monday night, police officials said.

According to officials, one of the four accused was caught by locals and handed over to the police, while the other three are still on the run.

ACP Surat NP Gohil said the incident took place at around 8:40 PM at Shri Nathji Jewellers. Four armed men entered the shop and threatened those inside at gunpoint before trying to loot the jewellery.

As they tried to flee, Ashish Bhai, one of the shop owner, attempted to stop them, at which point the robbers opened fire on him and he sustained two bullets, subsequently he was rushed to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead, said the police official.

The robbers also fired on a crowd that gathered outside the shop in an attempt to stop them. One person, identified as Nazim Sheikh, sustained bullet injuries and is currently undergoing treatment.

In a dramatic turn of events, locals caught one of the robbers during the chaos. He has been identified as Deepak Paswan, who was subsequently beaten by the crowd before being handed over to the police, added the police official.

Police have launched a manhunt for the three absconding accused. Multiple teams from the Surat Crime Branch, Special Operations Group, and local police stations have been deployed to trace their whereabouts.

Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and collecting forensic evidence to aid the investigation. Police have assured that the remaining culprits will be apprehended soon. (ANI)