Karnataka: Govt Hospital Staff Arrested For Stealing Gold From Dead Woman’s Body In Mortuary Theft Case

A D-Group employee at a government hospital in Kundapura has been arrested for allegedly stealing gold jewellery from a Kerala woman’s body after a road accident in Kollur. Police recovered the stolen items and confirmed it was a mortuary theft case.

In a shocking and unexpected twist, the mystery surrounding the missing gold jewellery of a Kerala woman who died in a horrific road accident in Kollur has been solved. For days, it was suspected that the jewellery had been stolen by locals or passersby at the accident site. However, police investigation has now revealed a far more disturbing truth: the theft allegedly took place inside the mortuary of a government hospital.

Police have arrested a D-Group employee of the Kundapura government hospital in connection with the theft from the deceased woman’s body.

Arrest And Recovered Gold Items

The arrested accused has been identified as Hemantha, 40, a resident of Kalyanaigudde in Kollur village of Byndoor taluk. He was working as a D-Group employee at the Kundapura government hospital. Police have recovered the stolen jewellery from him, including a bangle, a ring and a gold chain. In total, 14.52 grams of gold jewellery worth ₹2,07,000 has been seized.

How The Investigation Unfolded?

The accident occurred on May 17 at Dali in Kollur, when a jeep and a fish transport vehicle collided head-on. In the tragedy, two women from Kerala, Jyothi and Aafiya Anoof, lost their lives. Later, Jyothi’s family lodged a complaint at the Kollur police station after noticing that her jewellery was missing.

During the investigation, police found strong indications that the gold jewellery was still on Jyothi’s body when it was moved into the ambulance. The bodies were later shifted to the Kundapura government hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination, which led investigators to suspect possible involvement of hospital staff.

Public Outrage Over Hospital Staff Misconduct

The incident has triggered widespread outrage across Udupi district, as a government hospital employee is accused of committing an inhuman act in a place meant for dignity and care of the deceased. The accused has been produced before the court and has been remanded to judicial custody.