Valsad robbery: Two UP men arrested after gold worth ₹6.25 lakh snatched from elderly woman
Synopsis
Two men from Uttar Pradesh were nabbed within hours of snatching gold ornaments worth ₹6.25 lakh from an elderly woman in Valsad, Gujarat, with police recovering nearly ₹7 lakh in property including an autorickshaw — a swift operation driven by CCTV analysis and a tip from a head constable.
Key Takeaways
Two men — Rajesh Shukla, 45 (Banaras, UP) and Vijaykumar Pal, 21 (Prayagraj, UP) — were arrested on 24 September 2026 in Valsad district, Gujarat .
The accused allegedly snatched gold earrings, bangles and a chain worth ₹6.25 lakh from an elderly woman at Dungri Faliya, Vapi taluka .
The woman sustained injuries when the earrings were forcibly pulled from her ears.
Police recovered property valued at ₹6,98,410 , including gold ornaments, ₹2,160 cash , two mobile phones and an autorickshaw .
A case was filed under Sections 309(4), 309(6) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 at Dungra police station.
Two men from Uttar Pradesh were arrested within hours of an early-morning robbery in Valsad district, Gujarat, on 24 September 2026, after they allegedly snatched gold jewellery from an elderly woman, injuring her in the process. Police recovered gold ornaments, cash, mobile phones and an autorickshaw with a combined value of ₹6,98,410.
How the Robbery Unfolded
The incident took place on Wednesday morning at Dungri Faliya in Koliwad, Dungra, under Vapi taluka. According to police, two unidentified men — aged approximately 30 to 35 years — entered the area behind the complainant's house and attacked the complainant's mother. The accused allegedly pulled gold earrings from both her ears, causing injuries, before fleeing with gold earrings, bangles and a chain collectively worth around ₹6.25 lakh.
Swift Arrest Through Intelligence and CCTV
Following the complaint, teams from the Valsad Local Crime Branch and Dungra police station reviewed CCTV footage from around the crime scene and conducted technical analysis alongside field verification based on human intelligence. A breakthrough came when Head Constable Samrat Bhudarbhai of Dungra police station received confidential information identifying the suspects.
Acting on that tip, police arrested Rajesh Shukla, 45, who was residing in Dadra, Silvassa and originally hails from Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, and Vijaykumar Pal, 21, who was staying in Moti Sulpad, Vapi and is originally from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Both were apprehended with the stolen gold ornaments in their possession.
What Was Recovered
The recovered property includes two gold bangles, two gold earrings with chains and one gold chain valued at ₹5,76,250, along with ₹2,160 in cash and two mobile phones worth ₹20,000. Police also seized an autorickshaw valued at ₹1 lakh, bringing the total recovered value to ₹6,98,410.
Legal Action and Investigation Status
A case was registered at Dungra police station under Sections 309(4), 309(6) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 'During questioning, the accused admitted to their involvement in the offence. Further investigation is underway,' officials said. The operation was carried out under the supervision of senior officials, according to police. This comes amid broader concerns in Gujarat about chain-snatching incidents targeting elderly residents in semi-urban localities.
Point of View
Driven by CCTV and a constable's tip — reflects improved ground-level intelligence in Gujarat's Local Crime Branch units. What the case also highlights is a recurring pattern: robbery suspects residing in one state and operating in another, exploiting the anonymity of transit towns near industrial corridors like Vapi-Silvassa. The use of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 provisions — replacing the old IPC framework — is noteworthy, though the practical sentencing implications of the new sections remain untested at scale. The broader issue of elderly residents being targeted for visible gold jewellery in semi-urban Gujarat localities warrants a prevention-focused policy response, not just reactive arrests.
NationPress
24 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the two men arrested in the Valsad robbery case?
The two arrested are Rajesh Shukla, 45 , originally from Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, who was residing in Dadra, Silvassa, and Vijaykumar Pal, 21 , originally from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, who was staying in Moti Sulpad, Vapi. Both were apprehended with the stolen gold in their possession.
What happened in the Valsad gold snatching incident?
Two men allegedly entered the area behind a complainant's house in Dungri Faliya, Koliwad, Dungra, Vapi taluka, and attacked the complainant's elderly mother on Wednesday morning. They pulled gold earrings from both her ears, injuring her, and fled with jewellery worth around ₹6.25 lakh.
What property did police recover after the Valsad robbery?
Police recovered two gold bangles, two gold earrings with chains and one gold chain worth ₹5,76,250, along with ₹2,160 in cash, two mobile phones worth ₹20,000, and an autorickshaw valued at ₹1 lakh. The total recovered value stands at ₹6,98,410.
Under which legal sections was the Valsad robbery case registered?
The case was registered at Dungra police station under Sections 309(4), 309(6) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — the new criminal code that replaced the Indian Penal Code.
How did police trace the suspects so quickly?
Police reviewed CCTV footage from around the crime scene and carried out technical analysis alongside field verification. A key breakthrough came from confidential information received by Head Constable Samrat Bhudarbhai of Dungra police station, which led to the arrests within hours of the robbery.
