Hyderabad: A post-graduate student used a burkha for cover as she went about stealing gold and silver ornaments, cash and other valuables from woman passengers in RTC buses. P. Archana, a student of Osmania University distance education, used to travel on city buses at rush hour, wearing a burka and stealing valuables from women. The West Zone police arrested Archana and recovered Rs 2 lakh worth gold from her.
“She is a psychology graduate and she was pursuing PG in psychology from OU in distance mode. She used to get into RTC city buses from Kukatpally to ESI, ESI to Maitrivanam and Maitrivanam to Panjagutta during rush hour to target her victims. She would select busy points to commit the offence in crowded buses. She stole from the passengers’ bags while standing behind them. She would steal wallets, valuables and expensive jewellery and quickly get off the bus,” said West Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police A. Venkateshwar Rao.
Archana is a native of Medak district and was earlier staying at Vivekananda Colony, Kukatpally, from where she shifted her residence to Narsapur. “Her father is a school teacher in Narsapur. She has been committing the crimes for the last six months,” said the DCP. SR Nagar police had received three complaints from her victims, who had lost valuables during bus journeys.
One of the victims had lost 36 grams of gold ornaments, while another woman had lost a 11 gram gold chain. Both the victims believed that they were looted by a woman. But, Archana was not easily identified because she was wearing a burka. Police trapped her by following her during one of her acts. Police booked a case against her and sent her to judicial remand. Officials said that During her confession, she had said she wanted the money to maintain a lavish lifestyle and satisfy expensive desires, the police said.
