Bengaluru Police Launch Intensive Manhunt for Nepali Couple in Rs 18 Crore Heist
In a shocking development that has sent ripples through Bengaluru's security circles, city police have dramatically escalated their search for a Nepali couple accused of orchestrating a breathtaking daylight robbery. The audacious theft, which unfolded at a builder's luxurious residence in the upscale ASK Lake Garden on Kempapura Main Road in Yemalur, resulted in the disappearance of cash and jewellery valued at an astonishing Rs 18 crore.
Chilling Precision in Execution
The accused individuals, identified as Dinesh, 32, and his wife Kamala, 25, are believed to have carried out their meticulously planned operation on January 25. According to a formal complaint lodged by Shimanth S Arjun, 28, the theft occurred during a precise three-and-a-half-hour window between 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM. This timing coincided with the absence of the homeowner, Shivakumar, a prominent builder who was traveling out of town.
What makes this case particularly disturbing is the couple's calculated infiltration into the household. They had been introduced merely 20 days prior to the incident as temporary domestic help through acquaintances named Vikash and Maya Vishu. Working alongside existing cooks Siddharama and Ambika, they seamlessly integrated into the daily household routine while, investigators now suspect, closely monitoring the family's patterns and movements.
The Fateful Morning and Discovery
On the morning of January 25, at approximately 9:00 AM, the complainant, along with his wife and mother, departed their residence to attend a ground-breaking ceremony located at H Cross on the Hoskote–Chintamani Road. This created the perfect opportunity the couple had been waiting for.
Less than four hours later, at 12:38 PM, a panicked phone call from cook Ambika delivered the devastating news: cupboard locks had been violently smashed, and the family's precious valuables were gone. The couple entrusted with the home's care had vanished. In a move demonstrating premeditation, they had first disconnected the power supply to effectively disable all CCTV surveillance cameras.
Upon rushing back, the family was confronted with a scene of systematic plunder. The burglars had used an iron bar to force open a locker in a ground-floor bedroom, making off with nearly 10 kilograms of gold and diamond ornaments. A second locker in a first-floor bedroom was also found broken into, from which approximately 1.5 kilograms of gold ornaments, nearly 5 kilograms of silver jewellery, and Rs 11.5 lakh in cash had been stolen.
Investigation Reveals Calculated Deception
The complainant has alleged that Dinesh and Kamala executed their plan with meticulous precision, having carefully tracked the daily routines of family members in advance before disappearing without leaving a trace. Police have registered a formal case under Section 306 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which specifically addresses theft by a clerk or servant of property in the possession of their master.
Further investigation has uncovered troubling details about the couple's employment. They were hired as temporary replacements for the regular domestic staff, Vikash and Maya, and had agreed to work for a monthly salary of Rs 27,000. Alarmingly, despite repeated requests from the family, the couple consistently failed to submit any identity proofs or documentation, a red flag that now looms large in hindsight.
Separate Burglary Highlights City's Crime Concerns
In an unrelated but similarly distressing incident, burglars targeted the locked residence of a software engineer in Banashankari on the same night of January 25. The family of Gopi Ravindran, residing on 30th Cross in Banashankari II Stage, had left for their hometown in Tamil Nadu's Arcot in Ranipet district, locking their house at 9:30 AM.
Upon returning at 11:40 AM on January 26, they discovered their main door forcibly broken open. Intruders had stolen 900 grams of gold jewellery, 110 grams of platinum ornaments, and two diamond necklaces from a bedroom locker, with the total loss exceeding Rs 80 lakh. CCTV footage from the vicinity has captured three individuals entering the premises, and a case has been registered with the Banashankari police.
These back-to-back high-value thefts have raised serious questions about security preparedness in Bengaluru's residential neighborhoods, prompting calls for enhanced vigilance and more rigorous background verification processes for domestic staff.
