An alarming case of robbery has shaken residents of Gurdaspur in Punjab after five men, dressed as Nihangs, allegedly carried out a carefully planned theft at the residence of a local jeweller. The incident took place on Thursday, 5 March, when the armed group reportedly entered the house and looted cash and jewellery worth nearly ₹7 crore. During the robbery, the criminals held the entire family hostage, creating panic and fear in what is usually considered a secure neighbourhood.

The case has drawn political reactions as well. Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma criticised the ruling government over the incident, calling it a “frightening reflection of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state”. Police officials confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered and that efforts are underway to identify and arrest the accused.

Robbers Entered House Disguised as Nihangs

According to information shared by the family, the suspects arrived at the house pretending to inquire about a social media post. They were dressed as Nihangs, a traditional Sikh warrior order known for wearing distinctive loose blue attire. Reports say the men reached the residence around 8:15 in the morning.

The house belongs to Varun Mahajan, owner of Manohar Saraf, one of the oldest jewellery shops in the town. The residence is located in Scheme No. 5 of the Improvement Trust on Jail Road in Gurdaspur. According to reports, the criminals entered the property at around 8:00 am and remained inside until approximately 9:30 am.

Before entering the house, the robbers reportedly took steps to avoid detection. They disconnected nearby surveillance cameras to prevent their movements from being recorded.

Driver Unknowingly Led Robbers Into the House

When the suspects arrived, they reportedly noticed the family’s driver washing a vehicle outside the residence. One of the men approached him and asked where the owner of the house was, claiming that they wanted to discuss a religious matter.

The driver, unaware of their intentions, went inside to inform the owner. The robbers quietly followed him and entered the house behind him.

As soon as they got inside, the situation turned tense. One of the men reportedly pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the children present in the house. The entire family was then taken hostage.

The robbers demanded access to valuables and threatened the family with violence if they did not cooperate. They warned that they would cut off the children’s fingers if the family refused to hand over the keys to the lockers.

Family Forced to Hand Over Locker Keys

Terrified by the threats, the jeweller’s wife handed over the keys to the lockers. After gaining access, the robbers tied the family members with nylon ropes and began collecting cash and jewellery stored inside the house.

They took gold, silver and cash from the lockers before continuing their search of the property. To eliminate evidence, the criminals also removed the digital video recorder (DVR) connected to the CCTV cameras installed inside the house.

After completing the robbery, the suspects fled from the location using the jeweller’s own vehicle.

The attackers had tied the hands and legs of the family members, including two children, and sealed their mouths with tape while they looted the house. Only after leaving the house did the victims manage to alert others.

A member of the family later said that the total value of the stolen cash and jewellery is estimated to be about ₹7 crore.

Complaint Filed With Police

In his complaint to the police, jeweller Varun Mahajan described how the robbery unfolded.

He stated: “When the driver went inside, the robbers followed him and forcefully entered the house. As soon as they got inside, the accused pointed a pistol at the children and held the entire family hostage. The robbers then took out a cutter from a bag and threatened to cut off the children’s fingers if any of the family members cried and did not hand over all the gold and cash. They asked the family to hand over the keys to the locker where the valuable items, including gold, were locked. Terrified, the family complied,” Mahajan said in his complaint to the police.

Family members also told investigators that once the criminals had entered the house, one of them pulled out a weapon and demanded that all cash and valuables kept in the residence be handed over. According to their statement, every member of the group was carrying weapons.

Police officials confirmed that the robbers remained inside the house for nearly an hour before leaving the area.

Incident Raises Concern Due to Location

The robbery has raised additional concerns because of the location of the house. The residence is situated only about 200 yards away from the official residence of the Gurdaspur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). The colony is widely regarded as one of the safest residential areas in the town.

Soon after the incident was reported, a police team led by SSP Aditya reached the spot and began investigating the case. An FIR has been registered.

Speaking about the investigation, the SSP said, “We have got a few clues and hope to crack the case soon.”

During his visit, SSP Aditya met the affected family members and assured them that police were actively pursuing the suspects.

He added, “We have spoken to the family and assured them that the robbers will be nabbed soon.”

Authorities said that several leads have been identified and that further investigation is ongoing.

(For background on crime statistics and policing in Punjab, see reports from Punjab Police and regional coverage by Hindustan Times and The Indian Express, which regularly track law-and-order developments in the state.)

Political Reactions and Concerns Over Law and Order

The incident quickly drew reactions from political leaders across parties. Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma visited the jeweller’s house along with several party leaders, including State General Secretary Rakesh Rathore, State Secretary Suraj Bhardwaj, Gurdaspur District President Baghel Singh Bahian, Rajinder Bitta and Shivbir Rajan.

While speaking about the incident, Sharma said that criminals had tied the hands and feet of the jeweller’s family members and gagged them before carrying out the robbery using weapons.

He also pointed out that the attackers removed the surveillance equipment from the house.

“Not only did the robbers take away gold and silver, but they also uprooted the CCTV cameras to destroy evidence,” he said.

After meeting the victims, Sharma assured them of full support.

He further added, “Such a horrifying incident has created an atmosphere of fear in the entire area and has also caused deep concern among the trading community.”

Criticising the state government, Sharma said, “This is not merely a robbery but a major proof of the failure of law and order in Punjab. The morale of criminals has risen to such an extent that they are committing robberies worth crores without any fear of the law.”

Referring to the government led by Bhagwant Mann, he stated that traders and ordinary citizens were feeling insecure.

According to him, under the “Badlav” government, safety concerns were growing among residents. Sharma alleged that instead of focusing on security, the government was concentrating on publicity campaigns and advertisements.

Leaders Visit Victim’s Residence

Following the robbery, several political figures visited the jeweller’s house to meet the family and review the situation. These included Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Member of Parliament Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, BJP MLA Ashwani Sharma and AAP leader Raman Bahl.

While speaking during his visit, Sharma again criticised the ruling party in the state.

He said, “This is not a mere robbery, it is proof of law and order failure. It is shameful that this is the ‘badlav’ the AAP government wanted to bring in.”

The investigation into the robbery continues as police attempt to track down the suspects involved in the incident.