SURAT: An audacious daylight robbery occurred near the Kapadia Health Club on Bhatar Road, where three miscreants absconded with one kilogram of gold biscuits valued at INR 65 lakhs. The perpetrators reportedly duped a local jeweler under the pretense of a purchase, then sped away in a getaway car.

Responding swiftly to the incident, the Crime Branch apprehended four individuals named Devendra, Saurabh, Mohit, and Piyush on Vadodara Highway, recovering the stolen gold. The jeweler's employees had been sent to deliver the gold biscuits, each weighing 100 grams, on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the employee, Madanlal Shah, a man in the car checked the gold and requested to pay with a cheque. The employee, adhering to store policy, refused to accept a cheque. While he was dealing with this individual, another person took advantage of the confusion to snatch the gold and escape with the accomplices.

The employee promptly alerted his employer, Sanjay Jain, the owner of Sonal Jewelers at Poddar Arcade, Ghoddaud Road, who then reported the crime to the police. The case has been officially filed by Rajesh Hiralal Shah, a salesman from the jeweler's store, with the Khatodara police.

Interestingly, a woman suspected to be involved in the robbery has emerged in the investigation. The woman, believed to be associated with a political party in Indore, along with the three robbers, had been residing in a hotel near Surat railway station. Police have since discovered the woman's name and the accused's mobile number falsified in the hotel register.

Questionable circumstances surround this case as the exchange took place on a public street instead of within the jewelry store. As inquiries progress, the role of Madanlal Shah, a friend of the businessman from Bhatar, is also being closely scrutinized. Initial findings suggest the woman may have become acquainted with the accused during a land deal in Indore, subsequently orchestrating the robbery with Madanlal under the guise of a gold purchase.

Among those arrested are Devendra Kailash Narvariya (29), Mohit Raghavendra Verma (21), Saurabh Mukesh Verma (20), and Piyush Mohanlal Yadav (22). Further investigations are underway to unveil the full scope of the crime and possible links to previous incidents.