Two Mathura jewellers shot dead, Agra jeweller looted

Mathura/Agra: Jewellers associations have voiced deep concern after two bullion traders were shot dead in Mathura by six persons who escaped with gold worth Rs 4 crore, and another jeweller was shot at in Agra and valuables worth Rs 8 lakh looted.

Two traders, brothers Vikas and Megh Agarwal - were gunned down by six armed persons who entered their shop Mayank Chain, in the Koylawali Gali, in the busy market area of Holi Gate on Monday night.

They opened fire and wounded four persons. The customers rushed out as other shopkeepers downed their shutters.

Megh, 30 and Vikas 38, were declared dead at the district hospital, while Mayank and Ashok were referred to Niyati Hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Singh told IANS on a phone that so far there has been no breakthrough in the twin murder case.

Mathura SSP Vinod Kumar Mishra said eight teams had been formed to crack the case and nab the culprits.

The SSP addressed a press conference seeking the cooperation of the public to control crime.

In the other case, half a dozen armed bandits barged into a jeweller`s shop in the busy Holi Gate area in Agra on Monday night.

Around 8 p.m., as Dwarika Jewellers was about to close, two unidentified persons entered and opened fire, injuring the owner, who was rushed to a private nursing home.

The CCTV cameras showed five persons on two mobikes. The shop owner Dinesh Agrawal is in a serious condition with a bullet injury on his thigh and another on his stomach, family members said. The armed bandits disappeared with a booty of around Rs 8 lakh in a bag, sources told the police.

IG Agra zone Ashok Jain Mutha also reached the site.

Forces from many police station areas were deployed for a combing operation late in the night. A forensic team also reached the site. Officials said the DGP Sulkhan Singh has called for a report.

Jewellers Associations in Mathura and Agra on Tuesday morning expressed deep concern and called for immediate arrest of the criminals. Jewellers, they said were becoming easy targets.