The Bengaluru police Sunday launched a search to nab a Nepali couple who allegedly made away with cash and jewellery worth Rs 18 crore from a house where they were employed as domestic workers.
The police identified the accused behind one of the biggest heists by domestic workers as Dinesh and Kamala. The theft took place in the house of Shimanth S Arjun, 28, a resident of Kempapura main road in Yemaluru, who is a builder and developer by profession.
According to the police, the theft occurred Sunday morning when Shimanth left home around 9 am with his wife, son, and parents to attend a relative’s bhoomi puja before house construction.
While the family was away, the couple and their accomplices broke into the house. According to the FIR filed at the Marathahalli police station, another domestic worker, Ambika, discovered the theft around 12.38 pm and immediately informed Shimanth by phone.
The police found that the accused had allegedly used an iron rod to break open a cupboard on the ground floor, stealing approximately 10 kg of gold and diamond jewellery. They also allegedly forced open a locker in a first-floor bedroom, from which they took about 1.5 kg of gold, nearly 5 kg of silver ornaments, and Rs 11.5 lakh in cash.
The stolen items include 11.5 kg of gold and diamond jewellery worth approximately Rs 17.74 crore, 5 kg of silver ornaments valued at Rs 14.6 lakh, and cash totalling Rs 11.5 lakh—bringing the total loss to Rs 18 crore.
The police said the accused had joined housekeeping work just 20 days before the heist. They suspect the couple had been observing the family’s movements and routine during their brief employment period to plan the heist. The household also employed other domestic workers, namely Sudham and Ambika, who had been working there for a longer period.
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The police said they have obtained CCTV footage from the area and are analysing it to trace the accused and their accomplices.
“We suspect that they may have fled to another state or may be in their home country. We are investigating the matter,” an officer said.
The Marathahalli police booked the duo under Section 306 (theft by clerk or servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
