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A gold robbery at a railway station in western India ended within hours after a police inspector clung to a moving car and pulled its handbrake to stop three fleeing suspects. The dramatic arrest capped a multi-agency chase that authorities detailed on May 6, 2026. Four accused have been arrested in connection with the October 3 theft of 2.90 kg of gold from Nadiad railway station in Gujarat’s Kheda district. Police recovered the complete haul, valued at about ₹3.75 crore—roughly $450,000 in US dollars.
The incident began around 5 pm on October 3, when a businessman arrived at Nadiad railway station carrying a significant quantity of gold. According to Gujarat police, several men allegedly targeted him and fled with the gold before anyone could intervene. The victim was not seriously hurt, but the value of the loss was high enough to immediately trigger a response from both the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Ahmedabad Rural Police.
Nadiad, located in Kheda district, is a busy stop for commuters and travellers moving between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Precious metal consignments moving through such stations are not uncommon, which makes the area a potential target for organized thieves. The speed and coordination of the police response in this case, however, turned what could have been a difficult investigation into a rapid resolution.
The victim’s own conduct after the robbery played a major role in the outcome. Rather than chase the suspects into a potentially violent confrontation, the businessman followed their vehicle at a safe distance long enough to capture a photograph. That picture gave investigators a concrete reference point before CCTV footage was even fully reviewed.
Railway police then examined station surveillance footage and identified a Tata Tiago that matched the description and timing. The vehicle’s make, color, and direction of travel were immediately sent to the state-level control room. Around 7:30 pm, the information reached the district police, according to Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police Omprakash Jat. From that point, officers began mapping the possible escape routes and narrowing down where the suspects could be intercepted.
The Tata Tiago’s registration details and mobile call data records helped police link the suspects to Banaskantha, a district in northern Gujarat. Officers from the Local Crime Branch (LCB) used those clues to track the car’s movements and plan an interception.
One important detail emerged during the analysis: a Maruti Baleno with no rear number plate was travelling behind the Tiago. Police believed it was a support vehicle, possibly acting as a lookout or backup. That second car added another layer of risk, because the suspects could split up or use one vehicle to block police during an escape.
Rather than chase both vehicles at once, authorities set up roadblocks at strategic points along the route toward Sachana and Viramgam. Officers from the LCB and Viramgam Town Police worked together to cover the exits. The waiting game worked: the Baleno was stopped before it could clear the police cordon. One suspect was arrested on the spot.
During questioning, the arrested suspect told police that the stolen gold had already been moved ahead in the Tata Tiago. The other three members of the group, he said, were still inside that vehicle and would be somewhere nearby. Officers used that information to locate the Tiago and surrounded it shortly afterward.
This was the most dangerous phase of the operation. Inspector SA Gadhvi and Inspector Paresh Jani arrived with police teams from the Viramgam town force and the LCB. When the suspects saw the officers, they rammed the Tiago into Inspector Gadhvi’s vehicle and tried to reverse away.
Gadhvi reacted without hesitation. He ran toward the moving car and grabbed the door handle. The accused allegedly dragged him for roughly 500 metres as they kept driving. Despite the obvious danger, Gadhvi pulled the door open, reached the steering wheel, and managed to engage the emergency handbrake. The car came to a stop, and officers moved in to arrest the three suspects inside. A fourth suspect ran toward nearby fields, but police surrounded the area and caught him soon afterward.
A detailed search of the vehicles revealed exactly where the stolen gold had been hidden. The 2.90 kg of gold was found concealed inside the seat cover of the Maruti Baleno, not in the Tata Tiago where the three suspects were captured. That suggests the group may have split the vehicle roles, with the Baleno carrying the valuables and the Tiago acting as the primary escape car.
Police also recovered five mobile phones and ₹8,900 in cash. Both cars, along with the gold and other evidence, were seized. The recovered phones are expected to be examined for call records and possible links to other cases.
The fact that the entire gold haul was recovered is notable. In many theft cases, stolen jewellery is quickly melted down or moved through informal markets before police can act. Here, the speed of the arrests made disposal nearly impossible. The suspects were in custody just hours after the robbery, leaving them no time to sell or transfer the gold.
The case also illustrates how valuable ordinary cooperation can be. The photograph taken by the businessman gave police a starting point that was clear and actionable. Law enforcement agencies often remind witnesses not to put themselves in danger, but recording identifiable details from a safe distance can make a critical difference. In this instance, that single image helped turn a fast-moving investigation from a general alert into a targeted pursuit.
Officials have not ruled out further arrests or additional accomplices. The four accused are being questioned about their roles, their movement before the robbery, and their possible connection to other incidents in the region. Legal proceedings have already begun, and police are working to confirm the exact market value of the gold as part of the evidence record.
The operation has become an example of inter-agency coordination between the railway police, rural police, and local crime branch units. From CCTV review to telecom data to physical roadblocks, each step depended on timely information sharing. For Gujarat police, the case offers a strong reminder that effective policing does not always require heavy technology—sometimes it simply requires an officer willing to hold on when others would let go.
