Baguiati jewellery security was significantly strengthened during the Dhanteras rush, with Bidhannagar City Police deploying uniformed personnel inside all 160 jewellery shops and artisan workshops under Baguiati police station in Kolkata. The arrangement followed intelligence inputs warning of possible criminal activity targeting major gold establishments during the high-value shopping period.
Police personnel were stationed inside prominent national and regional jewellery outlets as well as smaller neighbourhood goldsmiths along VIP Road and its adjoining areas. The shops included outlets of Kalyan Jewellers, Senco Gold, MP Jewellers and Anjali Jewellers. The deployment was intended to deter organised robberies, snatching incidents and shoplifting as thousands of customers visited the area to buy gold.
Baguiati is one of Kolkata’s major jewellery trading hubs, after Burrabazar and Bowbazar. Footfall remained heavy through the day, with several outlets extending their operating hours until 3am to accommodate late-night shoppers. The extended hours increased the duration for which shops had to manage large crowds, high-value merchandise and frequent movement of customers and staff.
A Bidhannagar City Police officer said personnel had been deployed inside every jewellery shop under Baguiati police station limits. The in-store presence was supported by additional police arrangements on the roads, including Quick Response Teams, motorcycle patrol units and divisional patrol teams.
The officer said the deployment was intended to ensure that shoppers and traders could conduct business without fear. The police presence also addressed the security challenges created by crowded showrooms and the movement of customers carrying cash or newly purchased gold.
Customers and shop owners said the deployment provided reassurance during the rush. Mahua Das, a customer from Narayanpur, said the large police presence made shoppers feel safer, particularly when they were carrying substantial amounts of cash or gold. Pradip Banik, owner of Ananda Jewellery House, said the crowds continued well past midnight and that having a police officer inside the showroom helped staff manage the security pressures created by the volume of visitors.
The arrangements combined security inside individual commercial establishments with surveillance on the surrounding arterial roads and narrower lanes. Motorcycle squads and Quick Response Teams were mobilised to maintain a visible response capability around the jewellery hub during the extended trading hours.
