Suspicion on lone guest after gold jewellery stolen from birthday party

A solitary guest invited to a private birthday party is suspected to have stolen gold jewellery from the cupboard.

Police are questioning him after the family filed a complaint but he has denied the accusation. The incident occurred in South Bengaluru’s Hulimavu on November 28.

Twenty-four-year-old Kiran (not his real name) was the only person to be invited to the birthday party of the younger daughter of Kamala (name changed), 43. Kiran has been a friend of Kamala’s elder daughter for the past four years.

Kamala lives with her two daughters and a nephew.

Kiran reached the family’s house in the afternoon that day. Around 3 pm, Kamala opened the cupboard in her bedroom and handed the birthday girl a gold chain to wear for the occasion. She kept other gold jewellery — a 25-gram necklace, another chain and a ring — back in the cupboard.

Kamala told the police that Kiran went into the bedroom after that. He left the party around 8 pm, stubbornly declining their requests to have dinner. He even left behind the helmet of a scooter that he had rented. He cited some emergency for the unusual hurry. The family found his behaviour weird but didn’t think too much into it.

The confrontation

It was only on December 3 that Kamala opened the cupboard and was shocked to find the remaining jewellery and Rs 22,000 in cash missing. The family confronted Kiran about the theft but he didn’t give a clear answer. They then went to the police.

A senior police officer said Kiran had denied the accusation. “We are making efforts to solve the mystery,” he added.