Gold Kalash Stolen from Red Fort Religious Event, Suspect Arrested

The Delhi Police have arrested Bhushan Verma from Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, related to the theft of a gold and diamond-studded ‘kalash’ worth Rs 1 crore. The theft occurred during a religious event held near the Red Fort. Initial reports indicated multiple items may have been stolen, prompting a special investigation team and raids. Bhushan Verma was captured on CCTV. The Jain ceremony, which takes place in August Park near the Red Fort, started on August 28 and is set to continue through September 9. Participants must wear a dhoti and ‘ang vastra’. Bhushan Verma, a resident of Asoda village in Uttar Pradesh, is known for stealing urns and has a history of thefts at Delhi’s Lal Mandir and a temple in Ashok Vihar. He has five prior cases against him. The police found an urn-like object in his home. Verma, disguised as a Jain monk, attended the event on September 3. During the welcoming of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Verma took advantage of the situation to steal two gold urns. Businessman Sudhir Jain brought the two urns, worth Rs 1.5 crore, for the puja. One urn contained a coconut weighing around 760 grams of gold, while the other was adorned with diamonds, emeralds, and rubies.