Gujarat police recover ₹27.44 lakh silver in hours after Deesa highway robbery
Synopsis
Banaskantha police cracked a ₹27.44 lakh silver ornament heist near Deesa within hours — four accused arrested, the full consignment returned. Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi handed the property back to its owner under Gujarat's 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' scheme, which has returned over ₹4.66 crore in stolen goods across 538 programmes in the district in the past year alone.
Key Takeaways
Banaskantha district police recovered 12.16 kg of silver ornaments worth ₹27.44 lakh within hours of a highway robbery near Tetoda village, Deesa .
Four accused were arrested and the car allegedly used in the robbery was seized.
The stolen ornaments belonged to employees of Maximum Enterprise , a wholesale silver jewellery business in Ahmedabad .
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi returned the recovered property to the owner under the 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme on 6 November 2026 .
Banaskantha police have conducted around 538 such programmes in the past year, returning property worth over ₹4.66 crore .
Banaskantha district police in Gujarat recovered 12.16 kg of silver ornaments worth ₹27.44 lakh within hours of a highway robbery near Tetoda village in Deesa, arresting four accused in the process. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced the development on Friday, 6 November 2026, while personally handing over the recovered property to its rightful owner under the state's 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' initiative.
How the Robbery Unfolded
The incident targeted employees of Maximum Enterprise, a wholesale silver jewellery business based in Ahmedabad. The staff were travelling back to Dhanera after collecting a consignment of silver ornaments from Ahmedabad when unidentified assailants intercepted their vehicle on the highway near Tetoda village. The attackers assaulted the complainant and fled with the entire consignment of 12.16 kg of silver ornaments, valued at ₹27.44 lakh. A robbery case was subsequently registered at Deesa Rural police station.
Swift Police Response and Arrests
The Banaskantha Local Crime Branch (LCB) swung into action immediately after the complaint was filed, deploying a combination of technical inputs and human intelligence to trace the accused. The team successfully apprehended four persons and seized the car allegedly used in the crime. The entire stolen consignment was recovered from them, according to officials. The speed of resolution — within a few hours of the robbery — drew appreciation from the state government.
Officers Felicitated for Their Work
Banaskantha LCB Police Inspector D M Rathod and team members UHC Rajeshkumar Shankarlal, UPC Kansinh Balwantsinh, and UPC Mukeshkumar Shantilal were felicitated by Deputy Chief Minister Sanghavi with certificates of appreciation. The recognition underscores the state government's intent to publicly reward swift and effective policing.
'Tera Tujhko Arpan': The Programme Behind the Return
The recovery was showcased as part of Gujarat's 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme — a state police initiative focused on returning recovered or lost property to its original owners. According to government figures, the Banaskantha district police alone organised around 538 programmes under the initiative over the past year, returning lost or stolen property worth more than ₹4.66 crore to rightful owners. This case adds a high-profile data point to that track record. Notably, the programme also serves a public confidence function — making visible a system where timely policing leads to tangible restitution for ordinary citizens.
Point of View
Not days — reflects well on the Banaskantha LCB's operational readiness, but the more significant angle is structural: the 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme is quietly building a track record of restitution that most state police forces lack. With ₹4.66 crore returned across 538 events in a single district in one year, the data suggest a programme with genuine scale. The political optics of a Deputy CM personally handing back stolen property are hard to miss, but behind them lies a real question — whether this model can be systematised across Gujarat's other districts, where recovery and return rates may differ significantly.
NationPress
6 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was stolen in the Deesa highway robbery?
Employees of Maximum Enterprise, a wholesale silver jewellery shop in Ahmedabad, were robbed of 12.16 kg of silver ornaments worth ₹27.44 lakh near Tetoda village in Deesa while travelling back to Dhanera. Unidentified assailants intercepted their vehicle, assaulted the complainant, and fled with the entire consignment.
How quickly did police recover the stolen silver?
The Banaskantha Local Crime Branch recovered the entire consignment and arrested four accused within a few hours of the robbery. The team used technical inputs and human intelligence to trace and apprehend the suspects.
What is Gujarat's 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme?
'Tera Tujhko Arpan' is a Gujarat state police initiative under which recovered or lost property is formally returned to its rightful owners. Banaskantha district police alone organised around 538 such programmes over the past year, returning property worth more than ₹4.66 crore.
Who handed over the recovered silver to the owner?
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi personally handed over the recovered silver ornaments to the owner on 6 November 2026, in line with the 'Tera Tujhko Arpan' programme's public restitution model.
Which officers were recognised for solving the case?
Banaskantha LCB Police Inspector D M Rathod and team members UHC Rajeshkumar Shankarlal, UPC Kansinh Balwantsinh, and UPC Mukeshkumar Shantilal were felicitated by Deputy CM Sanghavi with certificates of appreciation for their swift resolution of the case.
