Two Nepalese nationals, Shibu Sahani (31) and Manish Kumar Das (24), were arrested on Thursday in connection with a burglary at a flat in Aluva, Kerala. The flat, located on the third floor, belonged to a Haryana native, Bensal, whose family was away in Mumbai from April 12 to 22 attending a wedding.
Upon returning on April 22, the family discovered that eight sovereigns of gold, silver jewellery, and Rs3 lakh in cash had been stolen. A special investigation team was formed under the guidance of District Police Chief M Hemalatha.
Sahani, who had been employed at Bensal’s residence for over a year, was found missing after the incident. When contacted, he falsely claimed to have taken another job in Bengaluru before going incommunicado.
Over a 20-day manhunt, police tracked the suspects across multiple states including Bihar, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Goa. Sahani was eventually arrested in Indri, Haryana, and Das was apprehended in Sawantwadi, Maharashtra. Both attempted to flee during the arrests but were caught after a daring chase.
Officers revealed that the suspects spent the stolen money on drugs and a lavish lifestyle, and had even purchased a phone worth Rs1.6 lakh, which was recovered.
The arrests were made possible after officers disguised themselves and lived undercover in the suspects’ local areas. The case highlights the meticulous coordination between multiple state police departments.
