Guntur SP S. Sateesh Kumar inspecting recovered gold at a press conference on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Vijay kumar
The Guntur district police have swiftly cracked a gold theft crime, apprehending seven out of eight suspects and recovering approximately 4.8 kg of gold jewellery, along with cash and vehicles, within just six days. The police produced the arrested accused and recovered gold, money and other material in the court on Saturday.
On February 15, 2025, Divi Ramu, proprietor of DVR Jewelers in Vijayawada, entrusted a bag containing nearly 5 kg of custom-made gold jewellery to his trusted relative, Divi Nagaraju, for delivery to his residence in Mangalagiri. Later that evening, around 9:23 pm, Nagaraju reported that while riding his scooter near the Athmakuru Under Pass, two unidentified men on a motorcycle intercepted him at a speed breaker and snatched the bag. Believing the bag had been stolen, Mr. Ramu immediately filed a complaint with the Mangalagiri Rural Police.
Well-Planned
After receiving the complaint, Guntur SP S. Satish Kumar formed six specialized police teams. Detailed investigations, including meticulous analysis of CCTV footage, technical examinations and tracking of known criminal networks, revealed that the incident was not a mere robbery. Instead, it was part of a premeditated fraud designed to simulate a theft of the gold jewellery worth nearly ₹5 crore from Mr. Ramu’s shop.
According to police findings, the accused comprising Divi Nagaraju and his accomplices devised a scheme to intercept the gold bag during its transit from Vijayawada to Mangalagiri. While Mr. Nagaraju was entrusted with the bag, his co-conspirators had planned to seize the bag in a cinematic-style operation using two two-wheeler vehicles.
The police arrested accused persons, including Adapala Bharth, 23, Divi Nagaraju, 32, Korivi Naveen, 26, Shaik Irfan (currently absconding), Velduti Mohan Krishna, 23, Varakala Lokesh, 24, Potnuri Chandrasekhar, 27, and Sikamani Arun Kumar, 24.
Rapid Response
Additional SP (Crimes) Ms. K. Supraja, along with the CCS and technical teams, played pivotal roles in piecing together the sequence of events. “The clarity provided by the CCTV footage was crucial in identifying the perpetrators. We encourage the public to install such systems to enhance community security,” said SP Satish Kumar during a press conference held on Saturday at the district police headquarters, who presented the accused persons before the media.
The investigation also received valuable assistance from the Vijayawada City Police, for which the Guntur police extended special thanks.
Published – February 22, 2025 08:00 pm IST
