Hyderabad diamond heist resolved in Mumbai with arrest of 3

Mumbai, May 18 (UNI) A Rs 10-crore diamond jewellery heist at Panjagutta area in Hyderabad three days ago was resolved here today.

Crime Branch sleuths here said they had arrested three burglars who had gained entry into the Alukkas Jewellery shop at Hyderabad on the night of May 15 after cutting open the shutter of the shop by using metal sheet cutters and had made away with jewellery, and diamonds. The burglary was discovered after owners opened the shop the next morning.

The three were picked up last night from a hotel in southcentral Mumbai by sleuths attached to the Crime Branch Unit XII.

Acting on a tip-off that three persons, allegedly involved in the diamond heist had checked in a city hotel, the sleuths swooped down upon the three and arrested them.

The three would be produced before the Esplanade court later in the day, police sources said.

In Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K Jana Reddy announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh each to Mumbai and Hyderabad police for arresting the thieves.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Reddy said two persons identified as Vinod Ramboli Singh of Uttar Pradesh and Ajay Jawar Singh, a diamond dealer were arrested by Mumbai police in this connection and interrogations were on.

He said they were hopeful of nabbing the third accused Srikant Singh, who is absconding and recover the entire booty soon.

The Home Minister said the main accused Vinod, involved in 18 cases of dacoities and robberies in Mumbai at one stage was kept out from Mumbai under the city police act. He was released from a Mumbai jail on March 25 this year.

Mr Reddy said the police suspected an alliance between Vinod and Srikanth in the robbery and Ajay was a buyer of stolen items.

He went on to explain that the Hyderabad police was not in a position to give a complete picture of the robbery, regarding how the incident took place on the night of May 15, unless the Mumbai police shared information with Hyderabad police.

He lauded the effective coordination between the Hyderabad and Mumbai police in nabbing the accused.

The state and city police were geared up to curb the activities of organised criminals, faction groups, terrorist and extremists by increasing the number of beats and equipment.

UNI Team RP KN1833