A daring daylight robbery unfolded at a Tanishq showroom in Arrah, Bihar, on Monday, when a group of masked men stormed the store, holding both customers and staff at gunpoint. The thieves made off with jewellery worth ₹25 crore, along with an undisclosed amount of cash. The incident took place shortly after the store opened at 10:30 am, when 5-6 men entered the showroom, overpowered the security personnel, and took hostages. CCTV footage shows the armed robbers ordering everyone to raise their hands as they systematically filled bags with stolen jewellery before fleeing the scene.
The robbery occurred at the Tanishq branch in Gopali Chowk, under the jurisdiction of the Arrah police station. According to Kumar Mrityunjay, the showroom manager, the criminals stole a significant amount of jewellery, including gold chains, necklaces, bangles, and diamonds, as well as cash.
Security guard Manoj Kumar described the horrifying events, stating that six criminals arrived in a car and parked across the street. Due to showroom policy, which limits entry to no more than four people at a time, the thieves were allowed entry in pairs. When the sixth man arrived, he pointed a pistol at Kumar’s head, stole his weapon, and assaulted him. The robbers then began to fill their bags with jewellery.
Store employee Rohit Kumar Mishra recounted the chaos, saying the staff hid behind counters to protect themselves when the situation turned tense.
In response to the heist, Bhojpur’s Superintendent of Police instructed all local station heads to conduct thorough vehicle checks. CCTV footage and photographs were shared through a district-wide WhatsApp group to aid in identifying the culprits. Acting on this information, a team of officers conducted vehicle checks at the Babura Choti bridge, where they spotted six men on three motorcycles speeding toward Doriganj. When the police signalled them to stop, the men attempted to flee. A high-speed chase ensued, during which the suspects opened fire on the officers. The police returned fire in self-defense, injuring two of the perpetrators. The police were able to recover two pistols, 10 cartridges, stolen jewellery, and a Pulsar motorcycle.
The company is working with the police to assess the losses and investigate the crime further. Meanwhile, showroom employees have raised concerns over delays in police response. “There was a clear lapse in the authorities’ response. It was early in the morning, not evening or night. We repeatedly called the police but got no response,” said Kumar Mrityunjay. He also reported that two of their employees were injured during the robbery when they were struck on the head by a revolver.
