Promising Students Turned Thieves: The Chikkaballapur Neighbourhood Shock
In a shocking incident that has rattled the academic community, two college students pursuing professional courses were arrested Sunday for allegedly stealing gold ornaments and cash from their neighbour's residence near Bengaluru. The Chikkaballapur town police have taken both accused into judicial custody following a thorough investigation that uncovered their criminal activities.
The Discovery and Police Investigation
The case came to light when R Shanthamma, the victim, filed an official complaint on September 2 after discovering that a gold chain and Rs 85,000 in cash had mysteriously disappeared from her residence. According to police reports, Shanthamma initially couldn't locate the key to her almirah and had to seek assistance from key makers to create a duplicate key. It was only then she made the distressing discovery that her valuables were missing.
Police officers involved in the case revealed that the investigation initially focused on people familiar with the family. "It was clear that someone known to the family had stolen the gold ornaments. We tried to find fingerprints, but we did not get any leads. We questioned family members and neighbours as well," stated an investigating officer. The breakthrough came when police learned that Chethan, one of the accused, frequently visited Shanthamma's house as he lived in the neighbourhood.
Unusual Spending Patterns Lead to Breakthrough
The investigation took a significant turn when police began monitoring the suspects and noticed conspicuous changes in their behaviour and spending habits. "We kept a watch on the suspects and found that Chethan was spending more money than usual. He did three to four trips with Abhishek. They also used to party a lot and paid money in cash," the officer elaborated.
Further evidence emerged when police informants confirmed that Chethan had attempted to sell the gold ornaments. This crucial information, combined with the observed lifestyle changes, provided the police with enough evidence to intensify their investigation.
Confession and Legal Action
During interrogation, Chethan confessed to the crime and revealed that he had conspired with his friend Abhishek to execute the theft during Ganeshotsav at the end of August. The police have successfully recovered 60 grams of gold from the accused.
The two accused have been identified as Abhishek and Chethan, both 21 years old. While Abhishek is pursuing an MBA, Chethan is studying aerospace engineering at a private college. Abhishek, originally from KR Pet in Mandya district, was living in the area on rent at the time of the incident.
The Chikkaballapur town police have formally arrested the students under Section 305 (theft committed in specific locations) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Both accused have been sent to judicial custody as the legal proceedings continue.
