Ludhiana, July 8 — A newly hired domestic cook from Nepal, along with three accomplices, allegedly fled with ₹8 lakh in cash and about 450 grams of gold jewellery from a house in Udham Singh Nagar while the owners were away at a birthday celebration, police said on Monday.
The main accused, identified only as Sunny, had recently replaced another Nepal-based cook who had worked with the family for seven years. According to police, Sunny drugged a fellow house help and called in his accomplices to execute the theft.
“Sunny exploited the fact that Mahesh, another staff member, had a known issue with alcohol. He got him drunk until he passed out and then brought in three men to carry out the theft,” said Sub-Inspector Amarjeet Singh, SHO of Division No. 8 Police Station.
The theft came to light when the family returned home and discovered valuables missing. A case under Sections 305 (theft) and 331(4) (house trespass) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered on the complaint of Parul Jain, a local businessman.
Initial CCTV footage reviewed by police shows Sunny and his three suspected accomplices heading toward Ludhiana railway station shortly after the incident. Authorities believe they may have boarded a train and are attempting to flee to Nepal.
Police also noted that the family had not conducted any background verification or collected any identification documents from Sunny prior to his employment, complicating the investigation. “We are coordinating with railway and border officials to trace and apprehend the accused,” SHO Singh added.
A manhunt has been launched, and further leads are being pursued as investigators race against time before the suspects possibly cross the international border.
