After jackfruits, lightbulbs and tyres, thieves in Delhi’s high-security Lutyens’ Zone are now targeting the brass nameplates of high-ranking government officials. Since January 1, two senior military officers and an Additional Solicitor General of India have reported stolen nameplates from their residences in Lodhi Estate. The New Delhi district police had formed several teams to track the thefts but were left red-faced Thursday after thieves targeted ASG Pinki Anand’s house a second time and decamped with two LED TV sets, several water taps and three branded suits. Sources said the first theft of a brass nameplate was reported on January 3 when the staff of Vice Admiral A K Chawla approached police. According to the complaint, the brass nameplate from outside the house — on which the address ‘42 Lodhi Estate area’ and the officer’s designation was written — went “missing” overnight. Police sources said the electroplated metallic letters were stolen and the board they were pasted on was found among bushes adjoining the house. Two weeks ago, a similar incident was reported from the house of a Lieutenant General in the Army, but a case was not registered. Confirming the theft of the three nameplates, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) B K Singh said, “A case has now been registered at Tughlak Road police station after the burglary in ASG Pinky Anand’s house.” The third stolen brass nameplate was reported from Anand’s home by her husband Devendra Nath on January 10. “I found the nameplates missing after returning from an evening walk in Lodhi Garden area. I immediately informed police and gave them a written complaint, asking them to register an FIR. They assured me that they will investigate the theft,” said Nath. On Thursday afternoon, Kiran, a domestic help in Anand’s house at 57 Lodhi Estate reported another theft. “The thieves climbed the wall, entered the house and broke the lock on the front door. Three rooms were ransacked and they stole LED TV sets, all the water taps and shower heads and damaged the washbasin. They even made away with three branded suits of mine,” said Nath. “It is a serious security matter and Delhi Police should immediately take some action as senior bureaucrats are staying in Lutyens’ Zone,” he said. Following the incidents, personnel from the Tughlak Road police station and special staff have been put on the investigation. “A team visited the spot under the supervision of ACP (Chanakyapuri sub-division) Alok Kumar. A forensics team was also called in to lift fingerprints and footprints,” said a police officer. This is not the first time that thieves have targeted VIPs in the Lutyens’ zone. In June 2014, JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Prasad reported two missing jackfruits from his residence on Tughlaq Road. Police recently filed a closure report in the case. In August 2014, Lok Sabha MP Sansuma Bwiswmuthiary reported stolen bulbs from his house on Ferozeshah Road. In January 2015, a joint secretary in the Ministry of Finance reported the theft of all four tyres of his car from Tughlaq Road. Last November, several valuables, including idols and “copper Gandhi glasses” gifted to Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor by the Prime Minister, were stolen from his Lodhi Estate house.
