Chhindwara Police Arrest Interstate Thief, Recover ₹15 Lakh Jewellery

Kotwali police in Chhindwara have arrested an interstate thief and recovered about ₹15 lakh worth of gold and silver jewellery. The arrest was reported on October 26.

The theft took place in broad daylight on September 30 at a house in Chandangaon while the owner was at work and his wife, a teacher, was at school. When she came home at about 3 pm, she found the lock broken, clothes thrown out of a cupboard, and the jewellery and some cash missing. Santosh Farkare, 48, filed the complaint on October 1.

Police checked CCTV footage in the area and activated informants, which led them to a suspect. He is Pushpendra Kushwaha of Simariya in Rewa district, who is wanted in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and has a case under the Gangster Act in Uttar Pradesh.

Officers searched Rewa, Satna, Chitrakoot, Maihar and Katni before tracking him to Seoni, where he was reportedly trying to sell the stolen goods. After first giving misleading answers, he admitted to the theft and named an accomplice, Vikas alias Bahattar Singh, who is still at large.

Police recovered jewellery worth about ₹15 lakh and ₹1,150 in cash from Kushwaha. He faces eight cases in all: one under the Gangster Act, one under the Arms Act and six for theft.

Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey announced a reward for the police team involved in the arrest. Police have appealed to residents to lock their homes securely, inform neighbours when away and share CCTV footage promptly after a theft. The accused will face trial, and the search for the second suspect continues.