Ahmedabad: A dramatic attempted robbery at a jewellery shop in the Ranip area of Ahmedabad took an unexpected turn when the shopkeeper overpowered a woman who had tried to rob him by throwing chilli powder in his eyes, and slapped her nearly 20 times in under 25 seconds.

The incident occurred around 12:30 pm on November 3 and was captured on CCTV, footage of which has since gone viral on social media.

According to police, the woman, her face covered with a dupatta, entered the gold and silver shop near the Ranip vegetable market posing as a customer. While speaking to the jeweller, she suddenly hurled chilli powder at him in an apparent attempt to blind him and steal valuables. However, the powder missed its mark, and the shopkeeper quickly realised what was happening.

The CCTV video shows the shopkeeper springing to his feet, slapping the woman repeatedly before leaping over the counter, pinning her down and continuing to slap her as he dragged her out of the shop. The woman eventually managed to flee the scene empty-handed before police arrived.

Despite the intensity of the confrontation, the jeweller has declined to file a formal complaint. Police have nonetheless launched an investigation to identify and trace the woman based on CCTV footage.

The Ahmedabad Police also issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying officers had met the jeweller twice to encourage him to file a complaint but that he remained unwilling to do so. “Nevertheless, efforts are underway to locate the accused,” the statement read.

The viral video has prompted widespread discussion on social media, with many commenting on the jeweller’s swift reaction and others debating the broader gender dynamics highlighted by the incident.