A two-kilogram gold tiffin box and diamond-studded teacup are among the priceless artifacts missing from Nizam's Museum in Hyderabad.
According to the police, the heist at the museum, which is located in Purani Haveli in the old city of Hyderabad, took place late on Sunday (September 2) night. They are currently analysing the crime scene and investigating if an insider was involved in the burglary.
How did the burglars break in?
The burglary came to light on Monday, following which the museum authorities lodged a complaint with the Mir Chowk police station. Preliminary investigations have revealed that burglars entered the museum through the first floor. The cops suspect that the accused gained entry by removing the iron grill of the ventilator and using a rope to climb down a 20 feet wall.
The burglars then broke open the frame of the cupboard, where the antiquities were kept.
"The burglary must have taken place at night. The theft was noticed only in the morning at 10:30 am, when the attender was having a look around the museum," SHO L Balu Chouhan told The News Minute.
Police suspect an insider's role
Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar and other senior officers have visited the museum and are currently investigating the case. They will also scan through the CCTV footage to find the accused.
"The burglar entered the museum through the ventilator and to avoid being caught, has bent the CCTV. As a result, the camera couldn't capture the thief," the police officer added.
Hyderabad: A tiffin box, saucer, cup & spoon made of gold were stolen from Nizam Museum (HEH Nizam's Museum) in Mir Chowk Police Station limits yesterday. A case has been registered, investigation is underway and search for the culprits is underway. pic.twitter.com/wz0ivkhzNL
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2018
The burglars reached the museum through the terrace of a building at the back, where there is no CCTV installed. The police suspect that an insider might have played a part in the heist.
The police suspect the role of an insider as the particular camera which was bent, focused only on the cupboard displaying the stolen artifacts.
What else is displayed in the Nizam's museum
The museum at Purani Haveli, which is one of the palaces of Nizams, showcases many personal belongings of the royal family. The museum also displays the gifts received by Mir Osman Ali Khan, sixth and the last Nizam from 1911 to 1948 and the cars of the royal family like the 1930 Rolls Royce.
Gold tiffin box, artefacts stolen from at Nizam's Museum in Hyderabad#hyderabad #NizamMuseum at #PuraniHaveli #Hyderabad #Telengana #Gifts and #Mementos that #Goldtiffinbox, #artefacts #stolen pic.twitter.com/3l4quK123j
— Satya (@Mavuri7) September 4, 2018
The museum also has a 150-year-old manually operated lift and a wardrobe of sixth Nizam— known as the richest man in the world in the 1930s— on display.
