HYDERABAD: In a shocking incident, a woman who died of COVID-19 in a private hospital in Hyderabad was relieved of her jewellery. The jewellery consisted of a nose stud and earrings, both studded with diamonds, a chain and a finger ring.

The Banjara Hills police on Sunday registered a case of theft after gold ornaments went missing from the COVID-19 patient’s body at a private hospital. The police said that the total value of the missing jewellery is about Rs 5 lakh.

The police said that they received a complaint from the victim’s son M Prakash, saying that the family found the jewellery gone when the body was handed over to them. The hospital staff, when questioned by the police, said they had handed over all her belongings to the family before starting the treatment.

The police said that though they had gone through the CCTV footage, they could not get any clues. "We will also question the family. We are investigating the possible role of the hospital staff," the police said.