BHOPAL: A snap of fate has foiled one of the biggest museum thefts in India. A thief, who hid in state museum in Bhopal on Sunday and stashed priceless artefacts, some dating to the Gupta Age, in a sack, now lies in hospital with a fractured leg and, possibly, a broken spine, after falling from the compound’s 25-ft-high wall.
Police say it’s sheer luck that saved the day as the museum had no safety measures worth the name.”Security arrangements for such priceless artefacts were substandard. There was no alarm system. CCTV cameras were not working and the DVR could not be found. The doors were weak and could be easily opened with a strong push,” DCP (zone-3) Riyaz Iqbal told TOI.
Police identified the suspect as Vinod Yadav, 49, of Gaya in Bihar. He claims to be a small-time farmer, who had visited the museum six months ago while escorting a NEET examinee to the city.
Yadav said he tried to rob the museum so that he could give his children better education. The precious artefacts he stole were worth at least Rs 15 crore, say officials.
Investigators say he came prepared for the theft, armed with tools to break into showcases, pry open doors and scale walls. Police are questioning the suspect to see if he had any accomplices. A detailed check of the inventory is on to see if anything is missing and an SIT has been formed.