Bengal cop's bravery sees 7-member gang fleeing heist with half the loot

Last week, a police officer in West Bengal's Raniganj helped foil a Rs 4 crore heist attempt by a seven-member gang at a jewellery shop, NDTV reporter on Tuesday.

The action, captured on a CCTV camera outside the jewellery store, saw Sub-Inspector Meghnad Mondal exchange at least 20 rounds of fire with the gang, all while sheltering behind an electric pole.

Mondal's bravery resulted in the gang having to escape, leaving half their loot behind. The publication reported that two of the accused have been arrested, while a search for the others is on.

According to the report, seven masked men armed with pistols, a machine gun and a rifle barged into a jewellery shop in Raniganj, looting ornaments worth over Rs 4 crore.

Mondal, the officer-in-charge of a nearby police outpost, happened to be in the neighbourhood for some personal work. According to the report, he was wearing plain clothes but carrying his service revolver.

Having noticed the heist underway, the officer took shelter behind an electric pole next to the shop. One of the robbers, reportedly keeping guard outside, spotted Mondal, informed the others and opened fire. In the crossfire, a bullet fired by Mondal hit a robber, who fell to the ground, injured.

Finally, the gang decided to escape with jewellery worth Rs 1.8 crore, leaving behind a bike, about Rs 2.5 crore worth of ornaments, two backpacks and 42 rounds of fire.

Mondal, who at first chased the fleeing gang, alerted police personnel in the vicinity, with an alert also being sent to Jharkhand Police.

Suraj Singh and Sonu Singh, two of the accused, are currently in police custody. The search for the others is on, West Bengal Police said.