In a brazen daylight robbery, five armed men looted jewellery worth several crores of rupees from a prominent showroom, Senco Alankar, in Barpeta Road town of Assam on Friday.
The incident took place at the Senco Alankar outlet on Durgabari Road in the heart of the busy commercial area. According to eyewitnesses and staff, the armed gang stormed into the showroom around 1 pm and quickly took control of the premises.
Staff Held at Gunpoint
“They put plastic tape over our mouths and pointed guns at us. They told us not to make any sound. There were around five of them. They took the cash and all the jewellery from our shop,” one staff member said.
The assailants allegedly overpowered employees and customers present inside, forcing them into a room at gunpoint. The entire operation lasted less than half an hour.
The store manager recounted the terrifying moments: “Around 1 pm, I returned to the shop after going outside to have a cup of tea. As soon as I entered, I saw five people with guns in their hands had tied up our staff. When they saw me, they pointed a gun at me. All of them were speaking in Hindi. They then pushed us into the lunchroom. One of them said that someone would die today. We were very terrified. They stayed for less than half an hour.”
Jewellery Worth Crores Looted
The robbers fled with gold, silver and diamond jewellery, along with cash. Initial estimates of the stolen goods vary widely, with some local sources pegging the loss at around ₹4 crore, while others suggest the figure could be as high as ₹12 crore.
The showroom is owned by Asit Devnath, a resident of Kokrajhar.
Police have launched a manhunt and are reviewing CCTV footage to identify and apprehend the culprits. Officials said an investigation is underway.
Notably, the daring robbery occurred on the same day Union Home Minister Amit Shah was visiting Assam, adding to the gravity of the incident.