The entire act was captured on CCTV cameras installed on the premises.
- A brass elephant statue weighing over 15 kg was stolen from TS Singhdeo's residence
- The theft occurred around 1 am at Kothi Ghar near Sarguja Palace in Ambikapur
- CCTV footage showed the thief entering through the back gate and stealing the statue
A brass elephant statue weighing over 15 kg was stolen from the residence of former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singhdeo. The theft took place in the early hours of Sunday, around 1 am, when an unidentified man broke into the Kothi Ghar, a property adjoining the historic Sarguja Palace premises in Ambikapur. The entire act was captured on CCTV cameras installed on the premises.
The video shows the thief entered the property through the back gate and made his way to the Kothi Ghar, from where he lifted one of the two decorative brass elephant statues placed at the front porch. The statue, which had been installed two years ago during renovation work, is estimated to be worth around Rs 40,000. The accused was later seen exiting the premises carrying the heavy artefact.
The Kothi Ghar, which has served as a Congress office in the past, is currently used as a part-time residence for members of the royal family when they visit the region. TS Singhdeo, a member of the erstwhile Sarguja royal family, was not present at the residence during the incident as he is currently on a foreign trip.
The security of both the Sarguja Palace and Kothi Ghar is managed by private security personnel. It was only after one of the guards noticed suspicious activity in the CCTV footage that the theft was discovered. The manager of the residence, Raj Soni, immediately lodged a complaint with the Kotwali police station.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Amolak Singh, confirmed that a case has been registered under Sections 305 and 331(4)-BNS. "Efforts are underway to identify the accused based on the CCTV footage. The matter is under active investigation," he said.
