Patna: Criminals posing as customs officers looted around 17kg of gold jewellery worth over Rs 25 crore from two employees of a Gujarat-based jeweller near Danapur railway station on Saturday. The incident occurred under Khagaul police station limits when the duo were travelling in an auto-rickshaw towards Bakerganj.According to police, Mahesh Mamtora and Prince Ramparia, residents of Rajkot, arrived in Danapur from Ahmedabad by the Saharsa Express. They were carrying gold jewellery belonging to their employer, Sunil Bhai, a jewellery store owner in Rajkot. When their auto reached the Khagaul overbridge, five to seven miscreants travelling in a car with a police sticker and two motorcycles intercepted them.Dressed in white shirts and khaki pants, the gang confidently claimed to be customs officers and seized three bags containing the gold after a brief inspection. They also forced Mahesh into their vehicle. Prince later told police that the criminals’ professional conduct initially convinced them that they were genuine officials. Mahesh was blindfolded and tied up before being released at a deserted stretch on Naubatpur Road. The miscreants fled after abandoning both the victims.Khagaul police have seized the vehicle used in the crime, which bore a fake registration number, and are tracing its owner through the chassis number. CCTV footage from Danapur railway station shows the suspects tailing the victims from the moment they arrived. Senior police officers and the special task force (STF) are assisting in the probe.SDPO-I Danapur Shivam Dhakad said a fraud case has been registered under Khagaul police station. “Two persons arriving from Rajkot by train with gold were deceived and robbed by unknown criminals posing as customs officers,” he said.He added that the police have contacted the owner of the gold and will carry out a detailed verification of the stolen items based on his complaint. “The owner arrived in Patna on Sunday and lodged a formal complaint. The investigation is progressing in all directions using both manual and technical intelligence. At least five to six persons were involved and they are visible in the CCTV footage,” the SDPO told this newspaper.
