Two held for stealing dagger gifted to Nehru

Two housekeeping employees at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library here were arrested for stealing a gold dagger gifted to late prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru by Saudi Arabia, police said on Thursday.

Ram Chander, 32, and Sandeep Kumar, 30, were arrested on Wednesday night for stealing the dagger, which was recovered from them.

Police said the burglary took place on Monday when the museum was closed it being the weekly off.

Chander, who has been working as housekeeping staff at the museum since 2008, informed police that he along with his associate Kumar made the plan to steal the precious item.

Kumar has been working at the museum since 2010.

"Chander asked Kumar to keep watch from outside. He entered the museum from the exit gate, broke open the door and showcase, stole the precious gold dagger, came out of the museum and handed it over to Kumar for safe custody," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav told IANS.

The officer said the accused were arrested after the questioning of over 100 people housekeeping staff and security guards.

Sources in the museum said the dagger was put in a glass in frame in the gift gallery, which is a few steps from the bedroom where Nehru breathed his last on May 27, 1964.

After Nehru's death, his official residence, situated on Teen Murti Marg in the posh Lutyen's zone, was turned into a museum.

--IANS

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