In a shocking incident that has raised serious questions about event security, thieves made off with gold jewellery valued at a staggering Rs 18 lakh during a wedding ceremony at a prominent hotel in Sector 35, Chandigarh. The brazen theft occurred on the night of Friday, November 9, 2025, while wedding rituals were in full swing.
The Brazen Heist: How It Unfolded
According to the police complaint filed by Dr Nikhil Sethi, the bride's cousin, the incident took place around 12:30 am. The bride's parents had placed a purse filled with precious gold ornaments near the wedding mandap in the hotel's outdoor lawn area. In a moment of distraction while they stepped away to greet relatives, two unidentified men, dressed impeccably in formal suits that helped them blend seamlessly with the guests, approached the spot and swiftly fled with the purse.
The stolen items were intended for the bride to wear during various ceremonial functions. The purse contained approximately seventeen tolas (around 170 grams) of gold, which included a necklace, two bangles, a pair of gold earrings, a gold ring, and two gold coins, along with some cash.
CCTV Footage Reveals Audacious Escape
The entire sequence of events was captured by the hotel's surveillance system. The CCTV footage, which police have now seized, shows the calculated movements of the duo. Investigations revealed that the suspects had roamed freely inside the hotel for nearly two and a half hours before executing the theft, mingling with guests without raising any alarm.
The footage depicts one of the accused walking out of the hotel premises while talking on his phone. A security guard stationed at the entrance, apparently mistaking him for a legitimate guest, even lifted a barricade to facilitate his exit. Moments later, his accomplice followed, casually draping a coat over his shoulder to conceal the stolen purse hidden beneath it.
Fallout and Police Investigation
The victim's family has accused the hotel management and its security team of serious negligence. The complainant alleged that despite being informed about the theft immediately, the hotel staff delayed taking action for nearly half an hour. It was only after the police were summoned that the situation was treated with the urgency it warranted.
A team from the Sector 36 police station promptly arrived at the scene and initiated an investigation. A case has been registered against two unidentified persons. The police are currently working to identify the suspects based on the CCTV evidence and have deployed special teams to track them down. Authorities are also questioning hotel staff to explore the possibility of internal collusion in the crime.
