Guard strikes gold worth Rs 50 lakh

PORVORIM, FEB 3
A security guard employed to safeguard a bungalow at Salvador-do-Mundo ended up being the biggest security threat to the family.
The Manipuri-based security guard was arrested on charges of decamping with ornaments and cash, all worth a staggering Rs 50 lakh from the bungalow on Wednesday.
In a swift operation, Porvorim police on Thursday arrested the security guard, Rushikant Singh and three others in Bangalore as they were trying to leave for Manipur by the Guwahati-bound train from Bangalore.
The bungalow owner, Venkatesh Prabhu Moni told reporters that he had gone to Bangkok on January 27, 2011, for some personal work and returned on Wednesday at about 5.30 pm.
However in the night, when his wife went to the second floor of the bungalow to open the safe, she found it opened and the diamond and gold jewellery worth Rs 50 lakh missing.
Besides, cash of Rs 50,000 which was kept in the safe was also stolen. He immediately lodged a complaint with the Porvoirm police at about 11 pm.
Moni further informed that Rushikant, a security guard from Manipur, was working with them for the last four years and he was familiar with the bungalow.
“When my wife was working in the kitchen in the morning, he must have gone to the second floor and took out the key from my wife’s purse, which was kept in the cupboard and then opened the safe”, Moni said.
“Thereafter, the security guard left the house at about 12.30 pm, stating that he was going to Mapusa. Since he did not return, I feel he must have committed the theft”, said Moni.
On Thursday evening, Porvorim police arrested Rushikant at Bangalore.
According to Superintendent of Police (North) Arvind Gawas, the Porvorim police disptached a team to Bangalore comprising Sub-Inspector Lakshi Amonkar and constable Vijay Gaekwad.
Police had information that the accused Rushikant had left for Manipur along with his father. They also learnt that the accused was supposed to leave for Manipur by the Guwahati-bound train which leaves from Bangalore at 11.30 pm.
The police team which had reached Bangalore by then arrested Rushikant at the station.
“Police recovered the gold ornaments and diamond jewellery worth Rs 50 lakh as well as cash of Rs 50,000 from the accused”, said SP Gawas.