An attempted robbery at a jewellery shop in the Ranip area of Gujarat was thwarted on Thursday, 6 November, when a woman posing as a customer tried to assault the shop owner using chili powder.
According to reports, the woman entered the gold and silver store located near the Ranip vegetable market under the pretense of browsing ornaments. Shortly after engaging the owner in conversation, she attempted to blind him by using chili powder, presumably to facilitate the theft of jewellery items.
However, her plan failed when the shop owner successfully dodged the attack. The chili powder did not reach his eyes, allowing him to respond swiftly. CCTV footage from the store shows the jeweller leaping over the counter and confronting the suspect, striking her multiple times before pushing her out of the shop.
The video of the incident has since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention.
Despite the severity of the attempt, police say the shop owner declined to file an official complaint. Nevertheless, authorities have launched a search for the woman, suspecting she may be connected to other crimes involving similar methods, including using chili powder to distract or disable victims.
Police continue their investigation and urge other shopkeepers to remain alert to potential threats involving suspects using chili powder or other disabling agents in robbery attempts.