Sanitation worker returns bag with 45 sovereigns of gold jewellery to rightful owner

A woman sanitation worker handed over to the police a bag containing about 45 sovereigns of gold jewellery that had been forgotten in Pondy Bazaar and helped return it to its rightful owner.

Police sources said Ramesh, 46, a resident of Nanganallur, is engaged in the business of buying and selling old gold jewellery from acquaintances and jewellery that comes up in bank auctions.

On Sunday noon, Ramesh was standing with a friend near an old pushcart on Muthamman Koil Street, T. Nagar, carrying a bag containing about 45 sovereigns of gold jewellery.

While talking, he placed the bag on the pushcart and, after finishing the conversation, left the place without taking it back. After a short while, he remembered and returned to the spot, but found that the bag containing the gold jewellery was missing. Following this, Ramesh lodged a complaint at the Pondy Bazaar Police.

Based on the complaint, the police began an investigation. In the meantime, Padma, 48, a resident of Krishnampet, who has been working as a sanitation worker informed the police that she had been on duty in the area and she had noticed an unattended bag on the pushcart.

When she opened it, she found gold jewellery inside. She informed her superiors about it and along with Greater Chennai Corporation officials, handed over the bag containing the gold jewellery to the police station on Sunday evening.

Upon enquiry, the police confirmed that the bag containing the gold jewellery handed over by Padma was the same bag with about 45 sovereigns of gold jewellery that Ramesh had accidentally left behind. After completing the necessary legal procedures, the police handed over the bag containing the gold jewellery to Ramesh.

On Monday, the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin invited Ms. Padma to the Secretariat and praised her for surrendering the jewellery at the police station and setting an example for others. He felicitated her and also gave her a cheque of ₹1 lakh.