Major Rs 1.5 Crore Heist Rocks Kolkata's Diamond City West in Behala
In a shocking incident that has sent ripples through Kolkata's security circles, the Sarsuna Police have registered a case following the theft of gold ornaments and cash worth an estimated Rs 1.5 crore from a residential flat. The high-value robbery occurred at the Diamond City West condominium located in the Behala area, marking one of the most significant heists in the city's recent memory.
Details of the Theft and Police Investigation
The theft was reported from a residence situated in Tower-3 of the upscale housing complex on Ho Chi Minh Sarani. According to police officials, the complainant, a homemaker, stated that the flat was securely locked when the family departed the city. The illicit activity is believed to have taken place sometime between January 19 and January 23. Authorities have indicated that there might be an insider angle to this meticulously planned heist, raising serious questions about security protocols within the gated community.
Timeline of Events and Discovery
As per the detailed complaint filed with the police, the woman left her Sarsuna flat on January 19 along with her son and daughter. They traveled to Ranchi for passport-related verification linked to their permanent address in Pakur, Jharkhand. The flat was properly locked before their departure.
The daughter returned to the apartment around 10:30 PM on January 22 and retired for the night without noticing anything amiss. The woman and her son arrived back the following morning. It was around 8:40 AM on January 23 that they discovered clear signs of a break-in inside the bedroom.
The complainant alleged that a cupboard containing an iron safe had been tampered with. The safe itself was cut open from the back, suggesting the perpetrators used specialized tools to gain access.
Staggering Inventory of Stolen Valuables
Police reports confirm that the stolen items included:
- Gold ornaments and bullion weighing approximately 1,150 grams.
- Cash totaling a massive Rs 26.5 lakh.
The exhaustive list provided in the complaint details a vast array of precious items:
- Multiple sets of gold bangles, bracelets, and necklaces with matching earrings.
- Rings, earrings including a heavy jhumka, chains, a mang tikka, a nath, and nose rings.
- A particularly valuable diamond-studded gold mangalsutra.
- Gold items in biscuit and coin form: one 50-gram biscuit, one 25-gram biscuit, one 15-gram biscuit, five 10-gram gold coins, and one 5-gram gold coin.
The complainant further stated that Rs 25 lakh was stored inside the compromised iron safe, while an additional Rs 1.5 lakh was taken from a separate Godrej steel wardrobe located in the same bedroom.
Broader Implications and Ongoing Probe
This audacious theft from a supposedly high-security housing complex has raised significant concerns about the safety of residential properties in Kolkata. The Sarsuna Police are actively pursuing all leads, with a particular focus on the possibility of insider involvement given the precise nature of the theft. The investigation aims to uncover how the perpetrators bypassed security measures and executed the heist within a narrow four-day window while the family was away.
