Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar and other officials taking a look at stolen jewelry recovered after the arrest of five inter-State thieves in Hubballi. | Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE

The Hubballi Police have recovered stolen gold and silver jewelry and other articles worth ₹72 lakh with the arrest of five inter-State thieves in connection with the theft at a jewelry shop in Hubballi which happened in July.

It is the same case in which the police shot at Farhan Sheikh, one of the thieves in the leg after he tried to escape after attacking police personnel on July 26.

Now, along with Farhan Sheikh, the police have arrested Mukhesh alias Raju Yadav, Fathima Sheikh, Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, Talat Sheikh, all natives of Mumbai.

Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar told presspersons that they have launched a manhunt for three others involved in the burglary at Sri Bhuvaneshwari Jewelers in Keshwapur of Hubballi.

The recovered items include 780 grams of gold ornaments worth ₹55 lakh, 23.3 kg of silver articles worth ₹17 lakh, ₹10,000 in cash and a car used for the crime and other articles.

The Police Commissioner said that the main accused Farhan Sheikh has 15 cases booked against him and Fathima Sheikh has two cases. And, the other accused too have cases registered against them in various police stations.

Mr. Shashikumar said that three teams led by police inspectors of Keshwapur, Gokul Road and Kamaripet police stations took up the investigation in the case.

Based on CCTV footage and keeping an eye on the movement of the accused for 20 days, the police teams managed to arrest the accused in Mumbai, he said.

The thieves broke into Sri Bhuvaneshwari Jewelers located opposite the landmark Ramesh Bhavan in Keshwapur on the night of July 15 by using a gas cutter.

They damaged CCTV cameras before decamping with the loot. Subsequently, the police arrested the main accused on July 25 and shot him in the leg after he tried to escape even as he attacked two police personnel on July 26.