Nagpur: Investigators are tracing the source of the threatening letters written to eight bullion traders in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with a preliminary probe suggesting that the letters may have been posted from the Khamla area.
Senior PI Mendhe said police were taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of bullion traders. Sarafa Association president Rajesh Rokde said the association had taken up the matter with CP Vishwas Nangre Patil and minister of state for home Pankaj Bhoyar. He said senior police officials had assured traders of increased vigilance, intelligence gathering and deployment of plainclothes personnel in the market.
Police are coordinating with postal department officials to obtain details of the dispatch and identify the person responsible. On Sunday, an FIR was registered at Tehsil police station against unknown persons in the case for extortion and criminal intimidation, said senior inspector Sanjay Mendhe.
The letters in the envelopes raised a demand for Rs 10 lakh each and threatened to kill the traders and their family members if the money was not paid within three days. Tinkhede also found seven separate envelopes addressed to Kakkad Jewels, Pasari Jewels, Sony Jewels, Jitendra Jewels, Parekh Jewels, Jadiya Jewels and Gaurav Kothari Jewels.
DCP Crime Deepak Agarwal said the investigation has been intensified. Police are examining CCTV footage, technical evidence and other electronic inputs to identify the sender. Crime Branch teams are also working on the case.
On Monday, senior police officers assured bullion traders of providing multi-layered security and plainclothes deployment of police personnel.