In a breakthrough in the Sai Santhoshi Jewellery Shop theft case, Suryapet Two Town Police arrested a woman suspect, Mekala Yashoda, and recovered 14 tolas of gold ornaments valued at Rs14 lakh. The arrest was made during a routine check at Hi-Tech Bus Station on Sunday morning.
District Superintendent of Police K. Narasimha, who disclosed the case details, said the theft occurred on July 21, when burglars entered the shop by drilling a hole through a bathroom wall adjacent to the strong room. The shop owner reported the loss of 2.5 kg of gold and cash, prompting police to form five special teams to investigate.
Mekala Yashoda, a resident of Naidupet in Khammam, confessed to being involved in the heist. She revealed that the gold was handed to her by Prakash Anil Kumar, a Nepali national and the alleged mastermind. Yashoda was transporting the stolen gold to Hyderabad, with plans to sell it and share the proceeds.
According to police, the theft was part of a larger conspiracy led by Anil Kumar and another Nepali accomplice, Amar Bhatt Gurkha. The duo, under the guise of opening a fast-food stall, had been renting a house near the jewellery store on MG Road since May to plan the robbery discreetly. They previously worked as Gurkhas in the area.
The police have identified other accomplices, including Kadak Singh and three unidentified individuals from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The stolen gold was intended to be smuggled to Nepal, with some portions given to Yashoda and Amar Bhatt for local expenses.
The gang was reportedly monitoring police activity post-theft through insider information. Anil Kumar has a criminal history with three previous theft cases in Khammam.
SP Narasimha assured the public that special teams are working around the clock to track the absconding suspects and recover the remaining gold.
