Arrow marks drawn over ventilator,parapet wall for easy entry

The two history sheeters arrested for the theft of priceless antiques from Nizam's Museum had drawn arrow marks over the ventilator for easy entry and also ate food from the gold tiffin box, police said Tuesday.

Hyderabad police had recovered from them the priceless stolen antiques, including a gold tiffin box inlaid with diamonds.

Mohammed Ghouse Pasha (23) and his relative Mohammed Mubeen (24) had hidden these stolen articles in a pit near Rajendra Nagar, police said.

They said that the duo went to the museum, located on the premises of Purani Haveli and observed the location of gold tiffin box.

The museusm is spread over a long corridor and in order to avoid confusion, Pasha identified a dried up tree opposite to where the tiffin box was located as the landmark,they said.

Both of them did a reccee of the entire premises and took note of the surroundings and location of CCTV cameras.

They also drew arrow marks over the ventilator through which they had to gain entry into the museum and over the parapet wall corresponding to the ventilator, police said.

During questioning the duo said they had kept food in gold tiffin box inlaid with diamonds and ate from it, a police official said.

"It is not known whether the last Nizam had food in the tiffin box or not, but Pasha and Mubeen consumed food from it...They felt it (theft) to be some kind of achievement," the offical, who did not wish to be named, told PTI.

Both of them carried screw drivers of various sizes and other instruments, including a cutting plier, nail puller, 10 hack-saw blades and a rope to remove the ventilator and gain entry.

They tied about 30 knots all over the rope to get a better grip and gain entry to the museum.

Their entry was made easier by the arrow marks they had drawn, police said.

They then removed the ventilator with the instruments they had . they damaged a CCTV camera at the spot and Mubeen went inside, helped by Pasha.

Mubeen took out the gold tiffin box, gold cup and saucer and gold spoon from the showcase and climbed out, police said, adding they exited from the museum through the entry itself.