A security guard in Bengaluru has been arrested for allegedly stealing Rs 2,000 from the bag of an officer from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). The incident took place at the Chabad House, a Jewish community centre located in the city's Tasker Town area within Shivajinagar.
The Sequence of Events on December 15
According to a formal complaint lodged by Chabad House manager Jeevan R, the theft occurred in the early hours of Friday, December 15. The cash belonged to Ora Ben-Hur, a woman officer serving with the IDF, who was part of a tourist group visiting India.
The group, comprising around 20 IDF officers and staff members, arrived in Bengaluru by bus at approximately 5 am. They then hired autorickshaws to reach the Chabad House by 5:45 am. Since the premises were not yet open, the visitors waited outside near a bank adjacent to the building.
The gate was finally opened at 7 am by the Chabad House security guard. As the tired visitors hurried inside to freshen up, the guard and other staff assisted them by carrying in their luggage. Ora Ben-Hur had two bags. While one was taken inside, the second bag was inadvertently left behind.
CCTV Footage Reveals the Alleged Theft
Ora Ben-Hur later realized her second bag had been left on the roadside near the bank. She and the security guard returned to look for it but could not find it. Manager Jeevan R arrived at the Chabad House at 10 am and, acting on instructions from a senior, began reviewing CCTV footage to trace the missing bag.
The adjacent bank declined to share its camera footage without an official police request. Consequently, footage from a shop next to the bank was examined. The visuals allegedly showed a security guard, later identified as 55-year-old Dorai Raj, walking past the unattended bag, returning to it, and then taking it away.
Jeevan immediately alerted the Commercial Street police. Officers detained Dorai Raj, who was employed with a private security agency. The police successfully recovered the bag along with the Rs 2,000 cash from his possession.
Police Action and Diplomatic Protocol
The Commercial Street police have registered a case under Section 303 (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A senior police officer provided an update on the investigation.
"The offence is bailable. We informed the Israeli Consulate General about the incident and treated the matter on priority. The cash has been recovered, the accused's statement has been recorded, and we have issued him a notice to appear again as the investigation continues," the officer stated.
The swift police action ensured the recovery of the stolen property and highlighted the procedural handling of an incident involving a foreign national on an official visit.
