A dramatic scene unfolded in Ahmedabad’s Ranip area when a woman’s plan to rob a jewellery store went disastrously wrong, leading to her being slapped nearly 20 times by an alert shopkeeper. The entire sequence, recorded on CCTV, has spread widely across social media, igniting debates over crime, gender, and justice.

Incident Details

According to reports, the event occurred on November 3 around 12:30 pm at a gold and silver jewellery shop located near the Ranip vegetable market. The woman, whose face was concealed with a dupatta, entered the shop under the guise of being a potential customer. While seated before the shopkeeper, she suddenly hurled chilli powder in his direction, apparently attempting to incapacitate him and commit the robbery.

However, her plan faltered instantly. The shopkeeper managed to avoid the powder and, realising the woman’s intent, reacted with remarkable speed. In a burst of anger, he struck back slapping her multiple times, reportedly between 17 and 20 times in less than half a minute before either shoving or dragging her out of the store.

Police Response

Officers from Ranip Police Station confirmed that the shopkeeper declined to lodge a formal complaint despite being approached twice. “In this case, the complainant was personally met twice to obtain a statement in this regard and was asked to file the complaint, but the complainant businessman is not inclined to lodge any complaint in this matter. Nevertheless, an investigation has been initiated to search for the accused based on the CCTV footage,” the Ahmedabad Police said in a post on X.

Ranip PI Ketan Vyas added that police have begun tracing the suspect using CCTV visuals, even though the victim does not wish to pursue the matter further.

Public Reaction

The CCTV footage quickly drew massive attention online, with netizens sharing strong and varied reactions. One user commented, “Crime has no gender, and neither should consequences,” while another wrote, “People getting instant karma is my favourite genre.” Others called the shopkeeper’s actions an example of “real gender equality,” though a few criticised the degree of force used, calling it excessive.

Aftermath

The woman reportedly fled the scene before officers arrived and has not yet been apprehended. No jewellery was stolen during the incident. The viral clip, which has since been shared thousands of times, has also prompted wider discussions about the safety of small business owners and the growing number of daylight theft attempts.