On Sunday night, thieves stole jewelry worth approximately ₹30 lakh from the room of Ashok Modi—owner of the renowned ‘Vandana General Store’—at his ancestral home on Sarai Road. The theft occurred while 21 family members were present in the house; the thieves gained entry by unscrewing a window.
Police officials arrived at the scene on Monday morning and initiated an investigation. They are currently examining CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
Ashok Modi is currently in Kolkata with his younger son. His room was unoccupied at the time, while other family members were asleep in adjacent rooms.
During the night, the thieves removed the mosquito mesh from the window, unscrewed the grille, and entered the room with ease. They broke the locks of three almirahs (wardrobes) and fled with all the valuables kept inside. Theft committed after locking the room from the inside: Before carrying out the theft, the thieves locked the room from the inside and then gathered the valuables. When family members woke up on Monday morning, they found the room locked from within. Upon managing to enter, they were shocked by the scene: three almirahs were open, and all jewelry—except for clothing—was missing. Ashok’s niece, Mansi Modi, stated that her uncle’s room usually remains open during the day as the children use it for studying, but at night, all family members retire to their respective rooms. The almirahs contained her aunt’s ancestral jewelry and silver items. Jewelry worth approximately ₹30 lakh has been stolen; the full extent of the loss—including any other missing items—will only be known once her uncle returns.
Police investigating from all angles: Upon receiving news of the theft, the town’s Station House Officer (SHO) in-charge, Jagannath Dhan, and SDPO Dilip Khalkho arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation. An assessment of the entire incident was made after speaking with family members. The window through which the thieves entered was also inspected. The police are now scanning CCTV footage from the neighborhood to identify the thieves.
The crime was committed by removing the window grille. A case has been registered, and efforts are underway to track down the thieves using CCTV footage. — Jagannath Dhan, Station In-charge, Nagar Police Station.
