Rajshahi Jewellery Heist Investigated as Mysterious Wall Breach Leaves Authorities Baffled
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Police in Rajshahi are investigating a baffling multi-million-taka jewelry heist that has left investigators and local business owners searching for answers. The theft occurred at Karushree Jewelers in the city’s Saheb Bazar gold district, where approximately 200 bhoris of gold, 1,200 bhoris of silver, and 2 million taka in cash—valued at roughly 55 million taka—were stolen sometime between late Thursday and Saturday morning.
The crime scene presents a logistical mystery, as both Karushree Jewelers and the adjacent Afia Jewelers were found with their primary shutter locks completely intact on Saturday morning. The breach was discovered when a relative of the shop owner opened Karushree Jewelers to find the premises ransacked and a portion of the interior brick wall separating the two shops cut open.
Investigators from the Boalia Police Station are currently scrutinizing the conflicting accounts provided by the shop owners. While Karushree Jewelers’ management suggests the intruders accessed their shop by cutting through the adjacent wall, the owner of Afia Jewelers, Khandaker Arifur Rahman, has denied any involvement, noting that his own vault remained untouched and his security shutters showed no signs of tampering.
Sub-Inspector Masud Kabir, the investigating officer on the case, confirmed that the police are treating both owners as persons of interest as they examine the evidence. Adding to the complexity, the perpetrators successfully removed the store’s digital video recorder (DVR), effectively destroying the CCTV footage of the event.
The heist has sparked significant unrest within the local business community. Jewelry merchants in the Saheb Bazar district shuttered their stores in protest and held a demonstration on Saturday to demand immediate action. The owners of Karushree Jewelers have expressed frustration over the pace of the investigation, claiming that authorities have yet to detain any suspects despite the significant value of the stolen goods.
In response to the mounting pressure, the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police stated that multiple law enforcement agencies, including specialized units, are collaborating on the investigation. Officials reported that they have gathered preliminary intelligence and are currently analyzing the data.
Ashraful Islam, president of the district branch of the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS), stated that while a 24-hour ultimatum for the recovery of the assets has lapsed, the association has received assurances from the police commissioner that the matter is being treated with the highest priority. Intelligence agencies and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been brought in to expedite the search for the perpetrators.
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