Dhoom-style heist: Man steals Rs 15 crore gold, caught after dramatic fall during escape
PTC News Desk: In a heist straight out of a Bollywood movie, Vinod Yadav, allegedly inspired by Hrithik Roshan's character in Dhoom 2, attempted to steal gold worth Rs 15 crore from the State Museum in Bhopal. However, in a surprising twist, Yadav was found unconscious inside the museum, surrounded by priceless artifacts, including ancient gold coins and jewelry, that he had tried to steal.
Yadav, believed to be a professional thief, entered the museum with a valid ticket on Sunday evening and managed to hide inside until it closed. Taking advantage of the museum's closure on Monday, he reportedly broke into two gallery rooms and stole the valuable artifacts. When the museum reopened at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, staff discovered shattered glass and missing items, prompting an immediate search.
During the search, security personnel found Yadav unconscious in a hallway, lying near a large bag filled with the stolen artifacts. The bag contained gold coins from the Gupta period, along with other items from the British and Nawab eras, including jewelry and utensils. Investigators believe Yadav may have injured his leg after falling from a height of over 23 feet while attempting to escape.
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"The accused seems to have tried to jump over the wall, but failed, leading to his injury," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Riyaz Iqbal. The police collected over 50 fingerprints from the museum and are investigating the possibility of an accomplice who might have been stationed outside.
The recovered items include gold coins weighing between 50 to 100 grams each, with an estimated value of Rs 8 to 10 crore. DCP Iqbal stated that the total value of the recovered goods could be around Rs 15 crore, emphasizing that these items were taken from just two rooms in the museum. The entire museum, according to him, houses artifacts worth more than ₹50 crore.
This incident has raised serious concerns about the security at the State Museum, highlighting the lack of an alarm system and non-functional CCTV cameras. The museum's aluminum doors were found to be weak, and parts of the roof were covered with easily breakable plastic sheets. Despite these shortcomings, the alertness of the security guards played a critical role in preventing the theft. Yadav reportedly confessed that he had attempted to escape several times but was forced to retreat due to the constant patrolling by the guards.
A police team has been sent to Yadav's home in Gaya, Bihar, to further investigate his background and any possible connections to other crimes.
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- With inputs from agencies
