Udupi: Two Arrested for Robbing Elderly Woman Using SIR Survey Ruse

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Oct. 10, 2026: Udupi Town police have arrested two men for allegedly robbing a 74-year-old woman of her gold chain worth around Rs. 4 lakh after entering her house under the pretext of collecting information for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Police have recovered property worth Rs. 5.53 lakh in connection with the case.

The accused have been identified as Vadiraaj Ganiga (44), a resident of Nittoor in Puttur village, and Sachin (30), from Beedubadi in Padubidri village, Kaup taluk. They were arrested at Mannapalla in Manipal on October 10, following a police investigation.

According to the complaint filed by Srinivas Karanth (49), his mother, Shantha Karanth, lived alone at their residence in Nittoor. On October 7, at around 3.47 pm, the two men allegedly entered her house claiming to collect information related to the SIR exercise.

When Shantha said she would consult her son before signing the documents they had brought, she went inside the house. The accused allegedly followed her, pushed her to the ground and forcibly snatched a gold chain weighing around 30 grams with garnet beads before fleeing.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime and revealed that they had pledged the stolen chain at the Industrial Credit Co-operative Society in Manipal.

Police seized a gold chain weighing 34 grams, valued at approximately Rs. 4.5 lakh, an Ola electric scooter allegedly used in the robbery and worth Rs. 90,000, and two mobile phones valued at around Rs. 13,000. The total value of the seized property is estimated at Rs. 5.53 lakh.

Police said the first accused was the complainant’s neighbour and had borrowed substantial sums of money from the victim and others. The second accused had also incurred debts. The duo allegedly committed the robbery to repay their debts and maintain a luxurious lifestyle.

The accused were produced before a court on October 10 and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.