Karnataka Police Crack Major Gold Heist Case, Recover 17.7 kg of Stolen Gold

Six-Member Gang Busted in Nyamati SBI Bank Robbery; Links Traced to Notorious Kakrala Syndicate​

Davangere (Karnataka), March 31 — In a major breakthrough, Karnataka Police have arrested six individuals involved in the high-profile gold heist from the Nyamati branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Davangere. The daring robbery, which took place on October 28, 2024, saw 17.7 kg of gold stolen from the bank’s locker. Officials confirmed on Monday that the stolen gold has been successfully recovered from a well in Usalampatti town in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district.

Key Arrests and Background​

The six accused have been identified as:

• Vijaykumar (30)
• Ajaykumar (28) – Brother of Vijaykumar
• Paramananda (30) – Brother-in-law of the duo
• Abhisheka (23)
• Chandru (23)
• Manjunath (32)

While Vijaykumar, Ajaykumar, and Paramananda hail from Tamil Nadu, they had been running a sweets business in Nyamati for several years. The remaining three – Abhisheka, Chandru, and Manjunath – are natives of Nyamati.

Initially, investigators suspected involvement from a well-known gang operating out of Kakrala in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun district, known for executing multiple bank heists across southern India.

Crackdown on Kakrala Gang​

During the extended investigation, police uncovered significant connections to the Kakrala gang, a notorious syndicate responsible for a decade-long spree of bank robberies, including the SBI gold theft in Rayaparathy, Warangal in November 2024.

The gang's signature tactics included:

• Selecting banks surrounded by open fields
• Entering through windows
• Using gas cutters
• Stealing DVRs to erase surveillance footage
• Completely avoiding mobile phone usage during operations

From November 2024 to February 2025, investigation teams launched operations across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, navigating difficult terrains to hunt down gang members.

Five Kakrala gang operatives were arrested earlier this month:

• Guddu Kalia
• Aslam
• Hazarath Ali
• Kamruddin
• Babu Sahan

Long Trail of Offences​

Karnataka Police revealed that the Kakrala gang had been involved in several high-profile gold heists across the state between 2014 and 2024. Noteworthy among them were:

• 15 kg gold robbery from Karnataka Grameen Bank, Hosahalli (November 2022)
• 4 kg gold theft from Karnataka Grameen Bank, Bevuru Branch

This marks the first time members of this gang have been arrested by Karnataka Police. Interrogation of the suspects has led to fresh leads on numerous unsolved property offences in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, significantly advancing multiple investigations.