Hunsur jewellery heist: Needle of suspicion points to insiders

Mysore/Mysuru: The daring jewellery store robbery in Hunsur town has left the Police baffled by the ease with which the heist was executed in just six minutes.

Investigators are examining the possibility of insider involvement, given the precise manner in which the robbery was carried out. The incident occurred while the store manager was away at lunch and the showroom staff offered no resistance.

CCTV footage and staff statements reveal that five masked men entered the showroom in two batches — two first, followed by three others — and completed the robbery in six minutes.

Two of the assailants were seen brandishing two revolvers each, while the remaining three carried one revolver each. The weapons were used to intimidate staff as gold and diamond ornaments were looted.

Police have formed four special teams to crack the case, with each team pursuing the investigation from different angles. The robbery took place at 2.10 pm, during the store  manager Asgar’s regular lunch break between 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm.

Premises relatively secluded

Meanwhile, the store manager has told the Police that the estimated weight of the stolen gold and diamond jewellery is 7.5 kgs, and not 5 to 6 kgs as initially reported. He said, several ornaments had recently arrived from the factory and were yet to be billed and therefore had not been accounted for in the stock records.

During the mahazar at the jewellery showroom, the Police observed that it was the only shop in the building that had been rented out, with all neighbouring shops lying vacant, making the premises                                                           relatively secluded.

Investigators also noted the absence of basic security arrangements at the showroom, including the lack of a security guard — an unusual omission for a high-value jewellery outlet. The Police believe this enabled the robbers to enter and execute the heist with ease.

The store manager further told the Police that he chased the robbers on his motorcycle after they exited the showroom, but retreated when the robbers pointed their weapons at him. However, he was reportedly unable to clearly indicate the route taken during the chase.