In a distressing turn of events, burglars have targeted the residence of a silver trader in Ammapettai, Salem. The perpetrators made away with a significant haul, including 60 sovereigns of gold jewellery, ₹65 lakh in cash, and 10 kg of silver ornaments.
The incident came to light when Saroja, aged 59 and the second wife of 64-year-old Babulal from Shevapet, returned home on May 7th after a visit to her daughter’s residence in Shankar Nagar. Upon her return, she was shocked to discover the front door’s lock tampered with and the valuables missing from the almirah where they were securely kept.
Promptly, the Ammapettai police were notified and swung into action. A team led by Assistant Commissioner Selvam conducted a thorough inspection of the premises, accompanied by fingerprint experts and a sniffer dog to gather crucial evidence.
Investigations revealed that the burglars had skillfully manipulated the closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) and absconded with the hard disc containing recorded footage. Suspicions point towards the involvement of a three-member gang in the crime, with the exact timeframe estimated to be between May 2nd and May 7th.
Authorities disclosed that Saroja, originally from New Delhi, had recently relocated to Salem after selling her property in the capital. Given her involvement in money lending activities, her residence often saw a steady stream of visitors, adding complexity to the investigation. Currently, the police are interrogating Saroja’s domestic helpers and meticulously scrutinizing footage from CCTV cameras in the vicinity to piece together clues leading to the apprehension of the perpetrators.