Gold theft case: Lallaguda police bust women gang, arrest 3

Hyderabad: The Lallaguda police has arrested three women for allegedly committing thefts using the attention diversion technique.

They were arrested on Friday, November 13, when they arrived near the Lalapet Toddy Compound to allegedly commit similar offences. The women have been identified as 49-year-old Chella Narsamma, who has 18 cases against her at various police stations; 43-year-old Vemula Lakshmi, with 17 previous cases against her; and 45-year-old Komera Anjali, also with several cases against her.

Police recovered the 2.5-tola gold chain from the Lallaguda case along with gold chains from other cases, totalling 9.5 tolas of gold from their possession.

The arrests follow an investigation into a gold theft complaint filed on November 5 by a woman. The woman alleged that she had gone to the vegetable market in North Lallaguda where she was approached by a middle-aged woman who struck a conversation with her.

Then she allegedly pointed at a purse on the ground, suggesting it might contain valuable items. Simultaneously, another woman allegedly arrived at the spot, looking for her purse. The first woman allegedly feigned ignorance and sent her away.

The second woman, before leaving, allegedly claimed her purse had a 5-tola gold biscuit. Meanwhile, the women opened the purse and spotted a gold biscuit in it. The first woman convinced the complainant that they could share the gold.

Calling over a third woman who was passing by, they asked where the gold could be sold, to which the latter said she would help them sell it the following morning.

Handing over the biscuit to the complainant, the duo then convinced her to hand over her own gold chain weighing about 2.5 tolas as security, promising to return it the next morning after selling the biscuit.

CCTV footage helped narrow down on accused

Believing their words, the complainant handed over her gold chain. However, when the phone number provided by them didn’t work, the woman realised her folly and lodged a complaint at the Lallaguda Police Station.

The police registered a case under Sections 303(2) (theft) and 318(2) (cheating) of the BNS and took up investigation.

The police analysed CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and the escape routes taken by the accused and identified the culprits as habitual offenders through technical analysis.

The women have been remanded to judicial custody at the Chanchalguda Women’s Prison.

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