Mumbai: Four servants employed by a senior citizen are on the run after allegedly stealing valuables worth ₹50 lakh from his Andheri residence on Saturday. The incident has brought into focus the vulnerability of senior citizens and the importance of submitting details of domestic help to the local police.
According to the Oshiwara police, the theft occurred between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. at the residence of businessman Madhukar Agarwal (65), who stays in his bungalow in Lokhandwala with his wife.
Mr. Agarwal, who is in the plywood business, had gone out on Saturday afternoon. When he returned, he found his bedroom door, which he usually keeps locked when out of the house, broken open. On entering the bedroom, he saw that the cupboard, too, had been forced open and the valuables missing.
“The cupboard had gold and diamond jewellery, gold coins, a wristwatch, sunglasses, and ₹1 lakh in cash, all of which was worth ₹50 lakh. Mr. Agarwal had employed four servants a few days ago and all of them were missing,” said an officer with the Oshiwara police.
The businessman, after several failed attempts to contact the servants, approached the Oshiwara police and a complaint of burglary was registered.
“Mr. Agarwal had not submitted details of the four servants when he employed them, and only knows them by name. We are trying to apprehend them,” the officer said.
Investigating officials said sketches of the four accused are being prepared based on the descriptions provided by Mr. Agarwal, and that those will be circulated in the city, on WhatsApp groups that policemen are part of, and among the railway police, in case the accused try to flee by train. The police will also be viewing CCTV footage at major railway stations.
Senior police officials said while there is no law making it mandatory to register details of domestic help at the local police station, the practice is encouraged so that it serves as a deterrent to anyone intending to rob their employers.
“We have time and again requested citizens to submit details of their servants, which is to help them. But many a time we have found that they take this casually and only discover the importance when such incidents occur. If citizens provide us with the names, personal details, and photographs of the people they employ, it will serve as a deterrent, enable us to keep a tab and check if they have a past criminal record so that the employers can be alerted,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti.
When asked whether the absence of a law contributes towards the casual attitude of the people, Mr. Bharti said, “One should not need a law to ensure one’s own safety. Voluntarily providing this information only works in the interest of the people.”
