Artisan goes missing with Rs30 lakh gold, police hunt continues

Srinagar, July 22

The J&K Police are looking for an artisan from outside the state who allegedly fled with gold ornaments worth over Rs 30 lakh from the city’s two leading jewellers.

The accused, Santoo Jana, from West Bengal was an artisan of Burj The Jewellers and Al-Imran Jewellers for the past over 15 years. Both firms have accused him of cheating.

“He took ornaments worth Rs 12 lakh from Burj and Rs 20 lakh from Al-Imran jewellers for repairing. We handed him the jewellery for repairing,” the two said in their police complaint.

The complainants further said the artisan was missing since July 14 when he took the gold from them.

“He used to repair jewellery for the last more than 15 years for the two shops. He had a workshop at Hari Singh High Street in the city. After we handed him the jewellery, he has been missing and his mobile phones are switched off,” the two jewellers said.

After he went missing, the two jewellers searched for him but failed to trace him.

“The artisan committed criminal breach of trust and took the jewellery with him and fled,” they said. After a complaint, a case was registered at the Kothi Bagh police station.

“We have registered a case under Sections 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property) and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) of the RPCand taken up investigation,” said a police officer. — TNS