TNN

Chennai, Mar 28: An Iraqi national who is in Chennai to get his daughter treated for a heart ailment was allegedly robbed of $15,000 in a private guest house on Thursday. He lodged a complaint with the Korattur police station on Friday.

On Thursday morning, Abed Ahmed Taan and wife Andari arrived in Chennai at about 4am. Daughter Raniah was to be admitted to the Frontier Lifeline hospital in Mogappair the following day.

Like many medical tourists, Taan had booked a room in a private guest house, a kilometre away from the hospital. He was resting in the room on Thursday when he heard a knock on the door at about 11am. When Taan opened the door, he saw two men standing outside. Since he did not know English or an Indian language, he did not understand what they wanted. The two men left in a few minutes and Taan closed the door. At 1pm, a maid came to clean the room. Taan rested for a while. When he opened his baggage at about 4.45pm, he found $15,000 missing.

On the advice of others in the guest house, Taan lodged a complaint with the Korattur police station in the evening. Comprehending only a part of what he was saying, police officials inquired with hospital authorities.

"He says that two persons were standing outside the room and they did not move away from his sight even for a second. He doubts whether a third person could have gained entry. Since no entry about the money was made in his passport, there is no proof of whether he had indeed brought the money. This is the first time such a case is happening in our limits (Ambattur)," said a police official.

When contacted, the chief administrative officer of the hospital Jose Manavalan said: "He claims that some person came and knocked on his door in the evening and that the money went missing afterwards. The hospital staff is not involved as he was staying in a guest house that is run privately. Police are investigating," he said.