Ahmedabad: A dramatic chase and a police inspector holding onto to robbers’ car despite being dragged 500m, led to the recovery of stolen gold worth Rs 4 crore within hours of a brazen heist at Kheda railway station on Saturday evening. In a swift joint operation, Ahmedabad Rural police and Western Railway Government Railway Police (GRP) tracked down four accused, recovered the entire 2.9kg gold haul and seized the vehicles used in the crime.The robbery unfolded around 5pm when an employee of a jewellery firm arrived at Kheda railway station from Kolkata carrying about 2.9kg of gold. The accused allegedly snatched the consignment and sped away in a hatchback. Showing presence of mind, the employee chased the vehicle and managed to photograph it, giving investigators their first crucial lead.Kheda GRP immediately scanned CCTV footage and flashed details of the vehicle and its occupants through the state police control room. Ahmedabad Rural police received the alert around 7.30pm and began mapping possible escape routes. Investigators traced the vehicle’s registration to Banaskantha, while analysis of mobile phone subscriber detail records pointed towards links in the same district.As officers pieced together the suspects’ movements, they learnt through their informer network that the hatchback carrying the stolen gold was being shadowed by another car without a registration plate. Acting on the tip-off, Ahmedabad Rural LCB and Viramgam Town police erected barricades using heavy vehicles on likely routes towards Sachana and Viramgam.The second vehicle was intercepted near Viramgam and one suspect was detained. During interrogation, he revealed that three accomplices had continued ahead with the stolen gold.Armed with the location of the fleeing vehicle, police launched another interception attempt near Viramgam. But the chase soon took a dramatic turn. As officers moved in, the accused rammed the vehicle into the official car of PI S A Gadhvi and then tried to escape by driving in reverse.Gadhvi lunged at the moving car and grabbed its door, but the accused accelerated, dragging the officer for nearly 500 metres. Refusing to let go, Gadhvi managed to pull himself inside the vehicle, wrest control from the driver and apply the handbrake, bringing the chase to an end.Ahmedabad Rural SP Omprakash Jat praised the officer’s courage. “Despite being dragged for nearly 500m, he did not let the accused get away. It was really brave of him to hold on and ensure that the suspects were caught,” Jat said.One accused attempted to escape through nearby fields, but police quickly sealed off the area and arrested him.The entire 2.9kg gold consignment, concealed inside a seat cover, was recovered. Both vehicles used in the crime were seized.Jat said the breakthrough was possible due to swift coordination between Kheda GRP, Ahmedabad Rural police, the Local Crime Branch and Viramgam Town police, which enabled investigators to crack the case and recover the stolen gold within hours of the robbery.
