Varanasi: Three men posing as Crime Branch officials allegedly looted a bag containing around 27 kg of silver worth nearly Rs 60 lakh from employees of two jewellery traders in the Chowk police station area late Thursday night.Police said Shashi Verma, owner of Jai Maa Lakshmi Jewellers in Govindpura, had ordered the silver from Hema Jewellers in Sudia. Verma’s employee, Umakant, had gone to collect the consignment, while Aryan, an employee of Hema Jewellers, accompanied him while returning with the silver.Near the Raja Darwaza turn, the duo was intercepted by three youths who claimed to be crime branch officials. The accused told them they had received information about drug smuggling and needed to search the bag.Although the employees informed them that the bag contained silver and identified themselves as workers of jewellery traders, the accused insisted that the shop owners be called to the spot.When one of the employees left to contact his employer, the trio allegedly snatched the bag from the other employee and fled.On receiving information, ACP Dashashwamedh Atul Anjan Tripathi reached the spot and examined CCTV footage from nearby cameras. Preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were seen heading towards Thatheri Bazaar with the bag.Police have registered a case and formed two special teams to trace and arrest the accused.
