Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): Shimla Police have recovered stolen gold and silver jewellery worth around ₹45-50 lakh and arrested two women from Punjab in connection with a theft case registered at the Sadar Police Station, officials said on Wednesday.

According to police, the case was registered on June 25 under FIR No. 81/26 under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint by Khub Singh Thakur, a resident of Shimla district.

The complainant alleged that unidentified women stole his sling bag containing around 40 tolas of gold jewellery and about 250 grams of silver ornaments while he was shopping in Lower Bazaar, Shimla. The value of the stolen property was estimated at ₹45-50 lakh.

Police said a special investigation team was constituted following the complaint. During the investigation, officers examined CCTV footage from the crime scene and surrounding areas, collected technical evidence and carried out cyber analysis. With the assistance of the Cyber Cell, investigators identified the suspects and the vehicle allegedly used in the crime.

According to the police, the accused travelled through multiple locations, including Narkanda, Luhri, Kinngal, Kullu, Mandi and Bilaspur before entering Punjab, allegedly in an attempt to mislead investigators, evade police checkpoints and destroy evidence.

Based on technical and physical evidence, the police team traced the suspects to Punjab and conducted a raid on June 28. Both women were arrested, and the stolen jewellery was recovered from their possession, police said.

The accused have been identified as Chandravati (39), wife of Bablu and a resident of Patiala, Punjab, and Rekha (40), wife of Shyam and a resident of Rajpura in Patiala district, Punjab.

Police said they recovered approximately 40 tolas of gold jewellery and 250 grams of silver ornaments, amounting to the complete recovery of the stolen property.

The arrested women were produced before the competent court, which remanded them to police custody till July 2. Further investigation is underway, including verification of the accused’s previous criminal record, police added. (ANI)