Dacoits strangulate Bikaner jeweller

BIKANER: At least seven dacoits barged into the house of a prominent jeweller here and robbed jewellery worth crores after strangling him to death on Thursday night. The police claim to have arrested one of the robbers and suspect the involvement of the jeweller’s servants.
Around 10:30 pm on Thursday seven robbers entered the house of 68-year-old Kishan Bothra in the Rangri Chowk area of Bikaner through its back door.When neighbours asked them, they said they had come to meet Chhotu, the servant of Bothra. After entering, they cut off the wires of a siren and CCTV cameras indicating they were well aware of the security arrangements in the house.
They sprayed chloroform on Kamal Bothra’s face and choked him to death. One servant Surendra, who was massaging Kisan’s feet, left the room without resistance. Later, the robbers went to the upper floor, and assaulted Kamal’s son Rahul Bothra, his wife Ria and tied them up after spraying chloroform. Next, they went to Bothra’s “business room”, broke locks and looted all the jewellery, diamond and cash and fled.
After midnight when Ria regained consciousness, she cried for help and neighbours came and called the police and local political leaders. When police teams reached the spot, they realised the seriousness of crime and informed higher ups. Only then did SP Habib Khan, ASP (city) Satish Jangid and other officers went to Rangri Chowk to pacify protests by local residents. The SP ordered barricades on roads hoping to catch the robbers.
DSP (city) Dilip Singh told TOI that a social activist, D C Jain, informed the police that on Wednesday night a car, owned by one Kalu Jat of Barsingsar village, was booked by some “Bihari” residents to travel to Delhi and Kalu Jat was returning to Bikaner on Friday afternoon. Accordingly, police barricaded the road in Sangalpura area of Bikaner, and stopped the car which was hired in the Gangashahar area of Bikaner.
DSP Singh said driver Kalu assisted the police in identifying a “Bihari” worker Vijay who was returning from Delhi in the car. During primary interrogation, Vijay admitted that he brought the robbers to Rangri Chowk and took them at Delhi in the Kalu’s vehicle after the robbery. DSP Singh said interrogation is continuing and the police hope to get some important clues from Vijay.
Singh said preliminary investigation has revealed that all the robbers are “Bihari”, residents of Madhubani area of Bihar and have links with domestic servants of the Bothra family and also with other “Bihari” workers engaged in various business outfits. He said Vijay is working in a prestigious factory in Bichhwal industrial area. Police has seized cash worth Rs 3.5 lakh, some jewellery, including costly diamond rings, necklace, and “Kundan” ornaments from Vijay.