Couple Impersonating Doctors Held For Sedating Victims, Robbing Them

HYDERABAD: A couple who impersonated medical professionals in hospitals across the city, administered sedative drugs to patients and subsequently robbed gold ornaments, were arrested on Monday.

The modus operandi of the accused, Goundla Shirisha, a Pharm D student, and her husband Edulapally Sai Kumar Goud, involved targeting elderly female patients, sedating them and fleeing with their gold ornaments, task force DCP Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath told Deccan Chronicle.

Using her medical knowledge, Shirisha decided to inject a sedative to render victims unconscious. She allegedly procured diazepam, a drug used to induce sleep, and concealed it in her doctor’s apron to avoid suspicion, Raghunath said.

The accused were previously involved in a similar theft case at Citizen Speciality Hospital in Chandanagar, Nallagandla, where they committed the same offence, the DCP added.

Based on credible information, the commissioner’s task force, Secunderabad, along with Market police of the Malkajgiri commissionerate, apprehended Shirisha and Sai Kumar Goud from their house in Nawabpet mandal, Vikarabad district.

During interrogation, the duo allegedly confessed to sedating three persons under Market, Malkajgiri and Chandanagar police station limits. Police teams recovered 11 tolas of gold, two mobile phones and a Maruti Suzuki Baleno used in the commission of the crime. The stolen amount was spent on personal shopping and other expenses. Since committing the offences, the accused had been absconding in the above‑mentioned cases, Raghunath said.