Angadia worker shot dead in robbery

Ahmedabad: Armed robbers struck early on Friday morning, when a group of angadia workers were waiting for a Deesa-bound GSRTC bus outside Gujarat Vidyapeeth. Arvind Patel, 51, a native of Siddhpur, refused to let go of his bag which contained valuables. One of the robbers then shot him in the face and stomach, killing him on the spot.
The robbers fled with his bag in the direction of Usmanpura. Vadaj police, who are investigating the robbery-murder, have not yet ascertained the value of the articles robbed. Investigators said the bag had diamonds, pearl and gold jewellery and other valuables, with its value running into lakhs.

According to Vadaj police, Arvind Patel worked for Patel Ambalal Hargovandas, an angadia firm with branches in Surat, Ahmedabad and various towns in north Gujarat.

“Patel was among a group of angadia employees who would travel with valuables between Ahmedabad and north Gujarat. The group would stay near Manek Chowk and take a bus from outside Gujarat Vidyapith. Friday was no different and the group arrived at the bus stand from Manek Chowk in a car at 7am,” said a Vadaj police official.

Rajubha Zala, a fellow angadia worker and an eyewitness, said that they were waiting for the bus when at about 7.08am four persons approached the group on two motorcycles. Two of them had helmets on and two had their faces uncovered.

“There was a bustle of students and others waiting for buses. Before we could understand what was happening, two persons drew pistols and fired in the air. This caused confusion and panic. We dived for cover,” said Zala, the complainant in the case.

Patel could not do so with the heavy sack he was sitting on. The robbers got hold of his bag but Patel refused to budge. Soon after, one of them fired at him. One bullet hit his mouth and exited from the of his head. The other got lodged in his stomach. He collapsed on the spot and the robbers fled in the direction of Usmanpura.

Jignesh Rathwa, inspector of Vadaj police station, said they found two live 7.65mm cartridges at the spot. “The robbers may have used country-made pistols. A pistol may have malfunctioned and the cartridges may have hence been thrown out. We have sought forensic help to ascertain if more than one weapon was fired,” he said.

He added that they have sought CCTVs from nearby spots to get clues on the perpetrators.

Was Patel specifically the target?

Investigators have sought details of the contents of Arvind Patel’s bag from Ahmedabad and Surat. “In total, there were nine employees of six angadia firms there. When the commotion erupted, the robbers may have snatched random bags as everyone was carrying valuables. However, the robbers targeted Patel and tried to snatch his bag. It is possible that the robbers may have recced the spot and may have had specific information. The angadia firm employees will also be questioned,” said a senior city police official.