A joint operation by Botad district police and Ahmedabad Rural police on 16 August 2025 led to the full recovery of 1,437 carats of finished diamonds worth ₹43.11 lakh within roughly seven hours of a brazen theft at Neelam Diamond Market in Botad, Gujarat. Investigators cracked the case by tracking suspects through CCTV footage across two districts and intercepting them at Bavla railway station before they could flee.

How the Theft Unfolded

The theft at Neelam Shopping Centre lasted precisely 14 minutes — between 1:09 p.m. and 1:23 p.m. on Sunday, when most shops in the complex were shut for the weekly holiday. According to police, a woman disguised as a beggar entered the rear of the office belonging to diamond trader Ashokbhai Kankotiya, 57, and was captured on CCTV leaving with a packet. Kankotiya, who runs the business with his partner Rasikbhai, later found the lock of a table drawer had been forced open and packets containing approximately 1,437 carats of single finished diamonds — valued at ₹3,000 per carat — had been removed. A case was registered at Botad Town Police Station under Sections 305(a) and 331(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, at 9:47 p.m. the same evening.

The Seven-Hour Chase

Investigators moved swiftly after reviewing CCTV footage. They traced the suspect to an autorickshaw, whose driver told police he had dropped her near Khodiyarnagar, a settlement close to the railway tracks in Botad. By the time officers reached the location, the suspected family had locked their hut and left. A second autorickshaw driver confirmed that two women, two men and a child had been taken to Botad railway station at around 4:31 p.m.

CCTV footage from the station — reviewed with help from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) — showed the group boarding the 5 p.m. Botad-Ahmedabad local train carrying luggage, cloth bundles and blue bags. Police used railway tracking assistance to monitor the train in real time as it crossed Koth station and moved toward Dholka and Bavla in Ahmedabad Rural district.

Inter-District Coordination Seals the Arrest

Once it was clear the suspects were crossing district limits, Botad Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Sharma directly contacted Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police Omprakash Jat. Botad LCB Inspector G.M. Pavra shared live photographs, videos and detailed descriptions — including the woman's saffron kurti, leggings, red floral-patterned dupatta and her limping gait — with Ahmedabad Rural LCB Inspector R.N. Karmatiya via WhatsApp. Ahmedabad Rural teams coordinated with the RPF to establish a cordon at Bavla station before the train arrived.

At around 8:30 p.m., as the Botad-Ahmedabad train pulled into Bavla station, officers checked the coaches. The woman and two men matching the descriptions were seen alighting from the second-to-last coach with bags and bundles. Police stopped the three without causing panic among other passengers. The suspects initially denied involvement.

Recovery and Accused Identified

A search conducted in the presence of independent witnesses uncovered a leather wallet hidden beneath clothes and quilts in the woman's bag, containing plastic zip-lock bags and 14 paper packets of diamonds. Local jeweller Jignesh Soni of Mahavir Jewellers, Bavla, was called to assist with weighing and verification. The seized diamonds totalled 1,885.75 carats — more than the reported theft quantity. The complainant and his partner subsequently identified approximately 1,437 carats as the stolen lot, confirming a 100% recovery of the reported stolen property.

The three accused were identified as Bachubhai Sadmiya, 55, a labourer from Kalawad, Jamnagar district; Vinabhai Dhirubhai alias Dharubhai Devshibhai Chauhan, 30, of Khodiyarnagar-2, Botad; and Sapanaben, 31, daughter of Bachubhai Sadmiya, also from Kalawad. Police said CCTV footage identified Sapanaben as the woman who allegedly carried out the theft. Police records show prior cases against both Bachubhai and Sapanaben in Morbi, Jetpur and Kalawad. The total seized property — including the diamonds, a mobile phone and cash — was valued at ₹43,17,180.

Both male accused were detained at 10:50 p.m. on 16 August under Section 35(1)(e) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. The investigation continues, particularly into the additional 448.75 carats of diamonds recovered beyond the reported stolen quantity and whether other individuals were involved.