Mandya Jeweller's Acid Attack Story Revealed as Elaborate Staged Hoax
What initially sent shockwaves through Mandya district as a violent acid attack and jewellery heist has been completely unraveled by police as a meticulously staged hoax. The elaborate deception was orchestrated by a jeweller facing severe financial pressure, who went to extraordinary lengths to fabricate the entire incident.
The Initial Panic-Inducing Claim
Jitendra Singh, proprietor of Mahalakshmi Jewellery Shop in Kyathanahalli, Pandavapura taluk, had reported that unidentified assailants attacked him with acid before fleeing with substantial valuables on February 10. According to his original account, the perpetrators made off with 170 grams of gold, 8 kilograms of silver ornaments, and the shop's crucial CCTV DVR system.
The alarming report triggered widespread panic throughout the area, with residents and business owners expressing concern about security in the commercial locality. Singh, who had migrated from Rajasthan approximately eighteen months earlier to establish his jewellery business in Pandavapura, presented himself as a victim of brutal criminal activity.
Mounting Financial Pressure and Desperate Planning
Investigations revealed that Singh was actually grappling with overwhelming financial difficulties that prompted his drastic scheme. The jeweller had allegedly borrowed significant sums from multiple creditors while simultaneously holding gold items pledged by customers as collateral.
As repayment demands intensified and his financial situation grew increasingly precarious, Singh reportedly devised an intricate plan to escape his mounting liabilities. His strategy involved creating a believable narrative that would justify both shutting down his business and eventually returning to Rajasthan without facing consequences for his debts.
The Elaborate Fabrication Unravels
To lend credibility to his story, Singh allegedly applied a mild jewellery-cleaning chemical to specific areas of his face to simulate acid burn injuries. Police were first alerted to the situation on February 12 when they received a memorandum from a private hospital indicating that Singh had sustained injuries consistent with an acid attack.
"However, even after two days, he did not file a formal complaint," noted Superintendent of Police VJ Shobharani, highlighting the first inconsistency that raised police suspicion. When authorities eventually summoned him for questioning, Singh maintained his story about being attacked with acid and emphasized that his shop was located merely 100 meters from the local police station.
Investigative Observations Lead to Confession
Investigators grew increasingly skeptical as they examined the evidence more closely. They observed that the burn marks appeared superficial and were curiously limited to specific areas, while sensitive facial regions like the eyes remained completely untouched—an unlikely outcome in a genuine acid attack scenario.
During intensive questioning, multiple inconsistencies emerged in Singh's statements. Confronted with these discrepancies and the physical evidence, the jeweller eventually broke down and confessed to fabricating the entire episode. He admitted that his intention was to use the fabricated robbery as justification for closing his shop and subsequently returning to his home state of Rajasthan.
Evidence Recovery and Legal Consequences
Following his confession, police successfully recovered the supposedly stolen CCTV DVR, which Singh had discarded in a nearby water body. The Kyathanahalli police have now registered a formal case against Jitendra Singh for deliberately misleading authorities and filing a false complaint—serious offenses that carry substantial legal consequences.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of how financial desperation can drive individuals to extreme measures, while simultaneously highlighting the investigative diligence of local law enforcement in distinguishing between genuine crimes and elaborate fabrications.
