Impersonating as the Director of the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum on Bhairon Marg, a man visiting the museum made away with 16 exquisite Kashmiri shawls. Based on the complaint submitted by the security manager of the museum, police have registered a case at the Tilak Marg police station and launched a manhunt.
"The shawls are of immense value because they were purchased from Kashmir between 1959 to 1976. At that time, the shawls were purchased at
Rs 25,000 each. Now, their value runs in lakhs," said a police officer, privy to the investigation.
Confirming the incident, B K Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) said, "We received a complaint from the administration and security manager of the National Handicrafts and Hnadlooms Musuem on Tuesday. Investigation is on,"
Police sources said that since the Museum was closed on Sunday and Monday (being a weekly off), on Tuesday, the guards found 16 Kashmiri shawls missing. Police said that the staff of the Museum woke up the theft of the shawls since they were stolen in bulk.
Police also suspect the role of an insider since the Museum was closed for visitors on Sunday (October 29) and Monday (October 30)"The guards told the investigators that they suspect a man who visited the Museum last week disguised as a Researcher. He used to look at the items kept in the Museum gallery with so much detail. To some guards, he even claimed that he was the Director of the Museum," said a senior police officer.
Police on Wednesday said that the staff of the Museum has provided them with the register which maintains the names and phone numbers of the visitors who come to visit the Museum daily. Meanwhile, police are also scanning through the CCTV cameras installed within the premises of the Museum to establish the identity of the accused.