New Jersey NRI family's nine passports and Rs 6,000 stolen from car in Temple's parking


NRI family robbed in Bharuch
BHARUCH, February 22, 2008
Ahmedabad
The Times of India

A non-resident Gujarati (NRG) family from New Jersey in USA was robbed off $8,000 and nine passports in Jhadeshwar of Bharuch district on Thursday afternoon. The family was visiting a temple when the incident took place.

A complaint of theft has been registered and investigation into the matter initiated.

Police said Patel and his family came from New Jersey to Jambusar to attend a marriage ceremony a week ago and were scheduled to return on Saturday.

According to Bharuch taluka police officials, the incident took place around 1.30 pm when Minesh Patel, along with his family members, was at the Swaminarayan temple in Jhadeshwar.

When Patel was parking his car near the temple, he saw a man cleaning their car. The family thought he was doing so for money.

But soon a Tata Indica came near their car and the person cleaning the Patels’ car opened it and quickly shifted all the luggage kept in it. Before Minesh could react, the Indica fled.

According to the complainant, there were three bags having four American and five Indian passports, along with $8,000, return air tickets and Rs 6,000 in cash.

Minesh’s wife Falguni Patel told TOI, "Our air tickets for USA were confirmed and we were scheduled to leave on Saturday, but everything has been stolen and we need to apply for passports again which will take time."

She said the local administration should deploy police force at public places to avoid such incidences.

According to police, an eye witness confirmed that there were about three to five persons who were seen in the parking area of the temple. They were shifting luggage from a Maruti Van to an Indica having a yellow number plate, the eyewitness told the police