Rs 82-Lakh Robbery, 3 Arrests: Telangana Police Busts Interstate Gang

In a breakthrough, Telangana police have cracked the sensational PMJ Jewellers robbery case reported earlier this month and arrested key members of an interstate criminal gang allegedly involved in the daring theft.

Police officials said the robbery took place during the early hours of May 3, when unidentified thieves broke into PMJ Jewellers in Karimnagar town and escaped with huge quantities of gold and silver ornaments. The incident had created panic among jewellery traders and residents across the district.

According to the police, investigators recovered around 161.4 tulas of gold ornaments and nearly 112 kilograms of silver articles, collectively valued at approximately Rs 82.02 lakh.

Police also seized pistols, vehicles and other materials allegedly used during the robbery.

"The case investigation revealed the involvement of a highly organised interstate gang with criminal links across several states, including Telangana, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka and West Bengal," said Commissioner of Police Gaush Alam.

Police identified notorious criminal Subodh Singh, popularly known as the "Golden Thief" from Bihar, as the mastermind behind the robbery.

The gang operated under a carefully planned strategy and frequently changed identities and locations to evade police surveillance,'' CP said and revealed that the robbery conspiracy was allegedly hatched from inside Purnea Central Jail in Bihar.

Gang leader Subodh Singh, while lodged in jail, explained the complete robbery sketch and execution plan to his associates who visited him in prison. The accused later carried out the offence exactly as instructed," the commissioner said.

Police said a total of 13 persons were found to be directly and indirectly involved in the crime. While five members actively participated in the robbery, only three of the accused have been formally arrested so far, and efforts are continuing to trace the remaining suspects.

The arrested accused were identified as Yamoor Kranthikar alias Dheer Singh, Ravi Kumar alias Prabhu, Raju alias Ajay alias Prem Goswami, Mitha, and Surya Kumar alias Sandeep.

According to investigators, after committing the theft, the gang fled to Bihar and West Bengal in an attempt to escape arrest. Special police teams from Karimnagar conducted coordinated operations across multiple states and apprehended the accused during intensive searches and vehicle checks near Hyderabad on May 13.

Police officials said the gang had prior experience in targeting jewellery establishments and carried out detailed surveillance before executing the robbery.

"The accused operated in a highly professional manner. They studied the movements around the jewellery store, planned escape routes and used interstate networks to avoid detection," a senior police officer said.

Using CCTV footage, technical evidence, call data analysis and interstate coordination led to the identification, tracking, and arrest of the accused.

Police sources said Subodh Singh and several other gang members are still absconding, and raids are underway in Bihar, West Bengal and other locations to trace them.

Investigators are also probing the gang's possible involvement in similar jewellery theft cases reported in other states.

Karimnagar police appreciated the efforts of the special investigation teams and announced cash rewards of Rs 10,000 each for officers who played a key role in solving the high-profile case.

The investigation is ongoing.