Hired week ago, cook drugs other helps, robs house

tnn
Ludhiana: Hired a week ago, a cook escaped with cash and jewellery from a house in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar on Sunday when the family had gone to a relative’s place in Amritsar. The police on Monday registered a case against him and his three accomplices who helped him carry out the theft.
Arjun, 34, a Nepalese, first gave food laced with sedatives to other domestic helps, including a security guard, and then called his aides to execute the theft. The family had not got his police verification conducted. He was hired on reference of another domestic help named Suraj Paraksh, a resident of Rose Garden area.
The employer, Harpreet Singh Arora, 49, a businessman, told the police that Suraj vouched for Arjun and when they sought his ID proof, Suraj said it would be provided later. On August 3, Harpreet, his wife Jasmine, son Anhad and daughter Deeva went to Amritsar to meet a relative. Arjun, another help Krishan Thapa, driver Ramesh Masihn and security guard Bhagwant Singh were at home. The family locked rooms and lobby of the house, while kitchen was unlocked.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-II) Jaskiranjit Singh said on the night of August 3, Arjun spiked other helps’ food and called his three aides. They stayed in the house for almost 45 minutes, searched it thoroughly and escaped with cash, gold and diamond jewellery and other valuables, like watches and sunglasses. Harpreet is yet to reveal the total loss.
Cops said the accused have been captured on CCTV cameras installed in the house, but the footage was not clear.
Dugri SHO inspector Bittan Kumar said the family was unaware of the theft details as all other domestic helps were unconscious. On Sunday afternoon, brother of security guard Bhagwant Singh reached the house to check if everything was fine as Bhagwant was not answering his calls. On reaching there, he found all three helps unconscious and the house ransacked.
Harpreet said, “Bhagwant's brother called up my wife. We immediately left Amritsar and reached home by Sunday evening. We found Krishan Thapa, Ramesh Masih and Bhagwant Singh unconscious. The lock of glass door connecting kitchen to the house was broken, besides doors of bedrooms were broken with a sharp-edged weapon. Locker kept in the drawing room was also open. Cash, jewellery, watches and sunglass have been stolen.”
The ADCP said the accused fled on security guard’s motorcycle (PB 10 GV 0193) and also stole two cellphones of the driver.
The Dugri police have lodged an FIR under sections 381 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) and 34 (act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC against Arjun and his unidentified accomplices.