PMJ Robbery Exposes Major Security Lapses Leading to Rs 2 Cr Robbery

Karimnagar: The daring daytime robbery at the PMJ Jewelery showroom in Karimnagar city on May 3, in which an armed gang made off with gold ornaments worth Rs 2 crore, exposed major security lapses in the establishment, which reportedly handles transactions worth crores every day with only minimal security arrangements.

While the robbers managed to escape with approximately 1.6 kilograms of gold jewelry, another bag containing more than 1 kilogram of jewelry that accidentally fell during their escape was seized. Police sources said that the gang targeted ornaments worth more than 4 billion Rupees, and that there was a gold stock worth more than 10 billion Rupees in the showroom at the time of the incident.

Investigators suspect the gang chose the showroom after observing that there was little public movement on the street and the store lacked strong security measures, making it an easy target for a quick getaway.

The management of PMJ Jewelers has come under criticism for not deploying armed security guards despite dealing with high-value assets. CCTV footage shows the gang entering the exhibition hall with weapons concealed in their waistbands. Locals stated that the installation of Door Frame Metal Detector (DFMD) could detect weapons and possibly prevent robbery.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, V. Ranadheer, a resident of Jyothi Nagar, said that it is shocking that even small supermarkets and cinema halls now use metal detectors, whereas a jewelery showroom that handles gold worth billions of gold coins ignores such a basic safety measure. He said the robbery could have been prevented if the management had prioritized the safety of staff and valuables rather than reducing security costs.

Another resident, K. Narendar, questioned the decision to operate a luxury business in a relatively isolated area without adequate protection. “When you set up a high-end business in a secluded area, security arrangements need to be much stronger. Having only a single unarmed security guard is not security. Had proper standards been followed, the gang could have been caught immediately,” he said.

Meanwhile, police have identified two suspects, Anand and Imtiaz, both of whom are believed to be habitual criminals. The teams are scanning security cameras in the area to track down the accused and track their movements.