Diamonds worth 1.5 cr looted

A Mumbai-based diamond trader, Bhupesh Shah, was robbed of diamonds worth Rs 1.5 crore near Phillaur last night. The robbers put chilli powder in Shah8217;s eyes and stabbed him, before decamping with the diamonds. A case has been registered against unidentified persons at Phillaur police station.

Bhupesh Shah had reached Phillaur by Shatabdi Express on Thursday and stayed in a hotel overnight, from where he, along with an associate, took a taxi for Jalandhar in the morning. On the way, the driver stopped the taxi at a deserted place close to Puccapur village, when the robbers attacked the trader and took away three bags from him, including the bags containing diamonds, some cash and his credit cards, said the trader. The robbers took away the taxi too, he said. The associate later took Shah to Phillaur Civil Hospital with the help of some passers-by.

When contacted, SP detective Paramvir Parmar said the possibility of the driver being the culprit cannot be ruled out and investigations are on.