Festive season security scare hits Surat diamond trade

The diamond industry leaders in Surat are gearing up to curb the occurrence of robberies and loot in the diamond industry during the Diwali season.

A meeting of leading diamond merchants and the police department was held on Monday evening to chalk out a strategy for the purpose.

Giving details to Business Standard, leading diamond exporter Pravin Nanavati, said, "The volume of business goes up in the pre-Diwali season, but this is also the period when the diamond industry witnesses the maximum number of cases of loot and robberies."

Some days back days back, diamonds worth over Rs 8 lakh were looted from a firm at Mahidharpura.

Diamond merchants lose lakhs of rupees on account of these crimes, he claimed.

A meeting on the issue was convened by the commissioner of police, Sudhir Sinha, to prepare a strategy to curb the crimes in the industry during Diwali.

As most incidents took place late in the evening, the police suggested all financial dealings, including delivery and receipt of diamonds and cash, be stopped after dark, he said.

The police suggested that separate barriers be installed outside diamond firms, which could be locked at all times, and that armed security guards accompany all diamond deliverymen.

Other suggestions made by the police included installing CCTV cameras in diamond units and offices and keeping an eye on suspicious elements to prevent occurrence of crimes, he added.

From their side, the police assured patrolling would be intensified in the diamond market during the festival season.

Additional policemen would be deployed in the police outposts in the diamond areas.

Policemen in civil dress would make rounds of diamond markets to prevent occurrence of theft.

The owners of courier firms, who deliver rough diamonds to factories, promised to take additional precautions to thwart theft attempts.

Chandrakant Sanghvi, the regional convenor of the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), said the suggestions were useful and the industry clearly had to become more alert.

"While the police and the administration are always there to help, it is the responsibility of each and every person connected with the industry to remain alert", he said.

People would have to take additional precautions to curb theft or robberies.

Alertness on both sides would bring down crimes, Sanghvi claimed.