Surat police are investigating a high-value burglary in the city’s Kapodra area, where thieves escaped with diamonds valued at ₹32.48 crore and ₹5 lakh in cash from a fourth-floor diamond unit during the Satam-Atham holiday weekend.
The break-in targeted the office of Diamond King and D K & Sons, businesses run by 48-year-old Devendrakumar Genaram Chaudhary and his family, who operate from Panchvati Society near Sardar Market, Puna village.
Holiday Timing Sparks Insider Suspicion
The unit was shut at 3:30 pm on August 15 for the two-day festival holiday. Police noted that only Chaudhary’s unit was hit, despite several diamond firms functioning in the same building—fueling suspicions of insider involvement.
The burglars reportedly broke the lock at the building’s main entrance, then used gas cutters to break into office safes. The loot included:
- Diamond King: 5,749.25 carats of polished diamonds and 87,098.35 carats of rough diamonds
- D K & Sons: 3,163.58 carats of polished diamonds and 16,583.72 carats of rough diamonds
CCTV Destroyed to Erase Evidence
In an attempt to erase their trail, the thieves destroyed CCTV cameras worth about ₹50,000 and removed the DVR system. At the scene, investigators recovered cigarette butts, a chewing tobacco pouch, and fingerprints believed to belong to two or three individuals. CCTV footage from nearby areas captured two to three men arriving in an auto-rickshaw around the time of the crime.
Security Lapses at High-Turnover Firms
Despite the Chaudhary family’s firms reportedly generating an annual turnover of nearly ₹300 crore, the unit had no security personnel on duty during the holiday period. The building itself was secured only with a basic lock at the main gate.
Surat police have launched a large-scale search for the culprits. The heist has also raised concerns about security preparedness and police patrolling in one of the city’s most diamond-rich areas.