Karkala police have arrested a 29-year-old man for allegedly snatching a woman’s gold chain after posing as a supervisor to gain her trust.
The accused has been identified as Sunil Ramesh Lamani, a resident of Savadatti. Police have also recovered the stolen 25-gram gold rope chain from his possession.
The incident took place on Tuesday, September 9, around 4:30 pm, at the residence of Kumuda Shetty in Ellare village, Karkala taluk. According to the complaint, Lamani introduced himself as a supervisor from Karkala and enquired about CCTV cameras at the house and whether the victim owned any nearby property.
Police said the accused remained at the premises until evening before suddenly grabbing Kumuda by the neck and snatching her gold chain. During the struggle, the victim fell and sustained injuries to her forehead, head, right hand, and leg.
Hearing her cries, neighbours rushed to help. With the assistance of Satish Poojary, the injured woman was shifted to a hospital in Karkala. Doctors confirmed that while she suffered multiple injuries, her condition was not life-threatening.
Following treatment, Kumuda lodged a complaint at Ajekaru Police Station. Acting swiftly, police registered a case and launched an investigation under the supervision of CPI Karkala D. Manjappa. A special team led by PSI Mahesh traced the accused’s movements and arrested him within days.
The stolen gold chain was recovered during the arrest. Lamani was produced before the court and has been remanded to judicial custody.
Police officials warned that criminals increasingly use impersonation tactics, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, to exploit trust. Residents, particularly women and senior citizens, have been urged to verify the identity of strangers claiming to be officials before engaging with them.
