Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Oct 10: Udupi Town police have arrested two men for allegedly robbing a 74-year-old woman of her gold chain worth around Rs 4 lac after entering her house under the pretext of collecting information related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The police have recovered property worth Rs 5.53 lac in connection with the case.
According to the complaint filed by Srinivas Karanth (49), a resident of Nittoor in Puttur village, his mother, Shantha Karanth (74), was living alone. On October 7, 2026, at around 3.47 pm, two unidentified men visited her house, claiming that they had come to collect information regarding the SIR exercise.
When Shantha told them that she would consult her son before signing the documents they had brought, she went inside the house. The two men allegedly followed her indoors, pushed her to the ground and forcibly snatched a gold chain weighing around 30 grams and containing garnet beads from her neck before fleeing. The chain was valued at approximately Rs 4 lakh.
A case was registered at Udupi Town police station. Following directions from senior officers, a police team led by Udupi Town police inspector Mahesh Prasad launched an investigation from various angles.
Acting on credible information received from local informants on October 10, the police arrested the accused, identified as Vadiraaj Ganiga (44), a resident of Nittoor in Puttur village, Udupi taluk, and Sachin (30), a resident of Beedubadi in Padubidri village, Kaup taluk, at Mannapalla in Manipal.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime and disclosed that they had pledged the stolen gold chain at the Industrial Credit Co-operative Society in Manipal.
The police seized a gold chain weighing 34 grams and valued at approximately Rs 4.5 lac, an Ola electric scooter bearing registration number KA20HG4761, allegedly used in the commission of the crime and valued at Rs 90,000, and two mobile phones worth around Rs 13,000. The total value of the seized property is estimated at Rs 5.53 lac.
The accused were produced before the court on October 10 and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
According to the police, the first accused was a neighbour of the complainant and had borrowed considerable sums of money from her and others. The second accused had also incurred debts. The duo allegedly committed the robbery to repay their debts and maintain a luxurious lifestyle.
The operation was carried out under the direction of Udupi district superintendent of police Hariram Shankar, IPS, and the guidance of additional superintendent of police Sudhakar Naik and Udupi sub-division deputy superintendent of police Belliyappa.
Udupi Town police sub-inspectors Bharatesh Kankanawadi and Ratnakar K, police personnel Prasanna C, Jeevan Kumar, Abdul Basheer and Anand S, along with Manipal police personnel Mallayya Hiremath and Hemanth, assisted in the operation. Netravathi and Surendra D provided investigative support.