A harrowing armed robbery in broad daylight of the night has triggered widespread panic in Machada village, located in the Kumbhalgarh area under the Kelwara police station limits of Rajsamand district. A gang of unidentified men approached a residential house under the guise of asking for drinking water and subsequently forced their entry inside. Brandishing firearms and bladed weapons, the intruders held the entire family hostage, issued death threats, and cleared out valuables before fleeing. More than eight days have elapsed since the daring robbery, yet law enforcement authorities have made no headway in tracing the culprits, sparking deep resentment among local residents.
Forced Entry Follows Denied Request For Water
The incident unfolded late at night when the household in Machada was winding down. A sudden knock rattled the front door, with unidentified voices from outside requesting water to drink. Sensing danger given the unusual hour, the family grew suspicious and explicitly refused to open the entrance. This refusal provoked the outsiders, who quickly turned hostile. Without heeding the family's warnings, the three to four assailants applied brute force, kicked the door open, and barged straight into the living quarters, catching the residents entirely off guard.
Family Held Hostage At Gunpoint In A Locked Room
Immediately upon stepping inside, the perpetrators pulled out handguns, including pistols, alongside several sharp weapons. Aiming their firearms at the terrified family members, the criminals warned that any attempt to raise an alarm or call for help would result in immediate death. Having completely paralyzed the victims with fear, the gang rounded up every occupant and pushed them into a single room, latching the door securely from the outside. With the house fully under their control, the intruders proceeded to rummage through every cabinet undisturbed.
Looting Of Cash, Gold, Silver Ornaments, And Mobile Devices
Once the family was immobilized, the gang methodically targeted all storage units in the house. They broke open the locks of various wardrobes and secure safes, scouring them for valuables. The robbers gathered a substantial sum of liquid cash alongside gold and silver jewellery worth lakhs of rupees. To guarantee that the victims could not broadcast an alert immediately, the suspects also confiscated all expensive mobile phones belonging to the family members before making their escape into the night. It was only after extensive struggle that the trapped occupants managed to break free from the room and inform neighbors, who subsequently alerted the police.
Eight Days On, Kelwara Police Still Empty-Handed
What has compounded the distress in Machada is the complete lack of operational progress shown by investigators. More than eight days have passed since the violent break-in, but the Kelwara police station team remains entirely empty-handed. Investigators have failed to establish any credible lead, identify the getaway route, or apprehend any suspect connected with the crime. The prolonged delay in making arrests has drawn sharp scrutiny over local policing standards and amplified the sense of vulnerability among surrounding villages.
Rising Thefts Across Rajsamand Spark Outcry
The Machada robbery is not an isolated shock but part of a noticeable spike in property crimes across Rajsamand district, where burglaries and house break-ins have risen in recent months. Locals point out that lax nighttime vigilance has emboldened criminal gangs to target isolated village residences without fear of apprehension. Community representatives have now formally approached higher police officials, demanding an immediate intensification of night patrols and the urgent recovery of the looted assets through the swift arrest of the perpetrators.
