Four Indian nationals arrested over Kathmandu break-ins, including a lawmaker's flat

The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office has arrested four Indian nationals accused of breaking into homes and flats in the Kalanki area of Kathmandu while their residents were away, police said. The four, three men aged 19 to 25 and a 46-year-old woman from Samastipur in Bihar, were living in Kalimati, according to the police statement carried by Gorkhapatra.

They are accused of breaking the lock of the rented flat of Nepali Congress lawmaker Urmila (Sita) Thapaliya in Kalanki during the Dashain holiday and taking eight tolas of gold and Rs 80,000 in cash, police told Corporate Nepal. The outlets differ on when that happened: the theft was reported to police on Kartik 5 (October 22), according to Corporate Nepal, while the police statement carried by Gorkhapatra dates it to Kartik 7 (October 24).

Police also accuse the group of a burglary at the home of Niranjan Nepal in Ranjit Colony, Kalanki, on the morning of Kartik 6 (October 23). The four were arrested on Sunday evening and their details made public on Monday, Corporate Nepal reported.

What was recovered

Police said they recovered cash and jewellery from the group. The list police released, as published by Corporate Nepal, includes chains, bangles, rings, lockets and coins of what appeared to be gold, anklets, coins and puja items of what appeared to be silver, statues of deities, 16 mobile phones and 10 watches.

"We have arrested four Indian nationals accused of breaking door locks and stealing cash and gold and silver jewellery from homes and flats where no one was present," said Superintendent of Police Rameshwor Karki of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office. All four have been sent to the Kalimati Police Circle, with the recovered goods, for further investigation and legal action.