Mysterious Wall Cut Burglary At Rajshahi Jewellery Shop

An investigation has been launched by law enforcement agencies in Rajshahi following a major burglary at a jewellery establishment in the Saheb Bazar Swarnapatti area. Intruders breached the premises by cutting through an interior brick wall shared by two adjacent businesses. However, the exact point of entry used by the perpetrators remains highly ambiguous, creating significant complexity for investigators. The incident took place at Karushree Jewellers, whilst the adjacent business has been identified as Afia Jewellers. Because the external shutter padlocks of both commercial establishments remained completely intact and undamaged, investigators face difficulties in establishing how the culprits gained access to the interior.

The contradictory accounts provided by the respective proprietors have added further complexity to the ongoing case. The owner of Karushree Jewellers maintains that the burglars breached the premises by entering the adjacent shop first and subsequently cutting through the shared partition wall. Conversely, the proprietor of the neighbouring Afia Jewellers suggests an alternative sequence, proposing that the perpetrators may have entered Karushree Jewellers first and then cut through the brickwork towards his shop.

Police Scrutiny and Financial Losses

Given that the security shutters and locks of both storefronts showed absolutely no signs of forced entry, the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police have been unable to draw immediate conclusions. The Case Investigating Officer, Sub-Inspector (SI) Masud Kabir of the Boalia Police Station, clarified the official stance to the media, stating that investigators have interviewed the owners of both establishments. He emphasised that no individual is currently excluded from suspicion, adding that the active investigation is progressing with the expectation of resolving the mystery swiftly.

The burglary occurred within a timeframe spanning from Thursday night, 18 June 2026, to Saturday morning, 20 June 2026. The targeted business, Karushree Jewellers, has been operated for approximately 20 years by two brothers, Turjo Sarkar and Imon Sarkar, who are residents of the Shahmakhdum College area of Rajshahi. According to the statements provided by the proprietors, the thieves managed to steal approximately 200 bhori of gold ornaments, 1,200 bhori of silver ornaments, and 20 lakh taka in cash. The total financial value of the stolen gold and silver ornaments is estimated to be approximately 5.5 crore taka.

Spatial Layout and Discovery of the Crime

The commercial premises of Karushree Jewellers is located on the ground floor of a three-storey building. The entire ground floor of this structure is occupied by various jewellery shops, whereas the second and third floors are occupied by a residential hotel. Afia Jewellers sits immediately adjacent to Karushree Jewellers, and a pathway leading to the stairwell of the upper-floor residential hotel runs directly beside it. Although a security gate is installed at this access point, it routinely remains open to accommodate the guests and operations of the residential hotel above.

On Saturday morning, 20 June 2026, the padlocks on the exterior shutters of both Karushree Jewellers and Afia Jewellers were observed to be fully secured. The situation was discovered when Turjo Sarkar’s cousin, Mohammad Shuvo, arrived to unlock the shutters of Karushree Jewellers for the day’s business. Upon opening the shop, he discovered the interior ransacked, the main safe breached, and the inventory of gold ornaments missing. Furthermore, he noted that a portion of the internal brick wall dividing Karushree Jewellers and Afia Jewellers had been systematically cut through.

Upon receiving the news, Turjo Sarkar rushed to the scene and immediately contacted Khondokar Arifur Rahman, the owner of Afia Jewellers. When Rahman arrived, he confirmed that his shop’s shutter locks were entirely undisturbed. He utilised his keys to open the padlocks in the presence of others and found that despite the hole in the shared wall, the primary safe inside Afia Jewellers remained untouched. The safe contained ornaments valued at 1.5 lakh taka, and nothing was reported stolen from within Afia Jewellers.

Trade Protests and Investigation Progress

Khondokar Arifur Rahman, the owner of Afia Jewellers, defended his position by stating that if the thieves had utilised his shop as the initial entry point, the shutter locks would have been broken. He remarked that he only arrived and opened the locks with his keys after being notified of the incident. He noted that since the locks of both shops were undamaged, it remains entirely plausible that the thieves entered Karushree Jewellers first, executed the theft, and subsequently cut through the wall into his shop, perhaps running out of time before they could breach his safe.

In response to the major burglary, jewellery merchants across the entire Swarnapatti area suspended business activities and kept their shops closed as a sign of protest. On Saturday, the traders organised and held a protest march through the city. By afternoon, numerous business owners gathered outside the closed doors of Karushree Jewellers. While Turjo Sarkar was present at the gathering, he was unable to speak due to distress.

His brother, Imon Sarkar, explained that they kept their entire commercial stock inside the shop and never transported the merchandise back to their residence. He further revealed that the culprits had taken the Digital Video Recorder (DVR) of the shop’s CCTV camera system to destroy video evidence. Imon Sarkar’s statements indicated a suspicion towards the personnel of the adjacent Afia Jewellers. He expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the initial response, noting that 24 hours had elapsed without explicit assurances from the administration or the detention of any suspects for formal interrogation.

A formal case was registered at the Boalia Police Station on Friday night by Turjo Sarkar, acting as the primary complainant against unidentified individuals. Regarding the progress of the inquiry, the spokesperson for the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, Additional Deputy Commissioner Gaziur Rahman, stated on Sunday afternoon, 21 June 2026, that multiple government intelligence and law enforcement agencies are collaborating on the case. He confirmed that investigators have gathered certain data points which are currently undergoing analysis, and verified findings will be disclosed to the media once conclusive evidence is established.

Concurrently, Ashraful Islam, the District Branch President of the Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS), noted that the 24-hour ultimatum served by the association for the arrest of the perpetrators and the recovery of the ornaments had expired. He acknowledged that the Police Commissioner had provided assurances of a swift resolution and that agencies including the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had been engaged. The association leadership scheduled a meeting for Sunday evening to determine their subsequent course of action.