In a shocking betrayal of trust, a foster son has been arrested for stealing gold from his own grandmother’s house in Kaujalagi, Gokak taluk. Lokesh Dalvai (24), a resident of Mugalihal in Yaragatti taluk, was taken into custody after gold ornaments worth ₹18.15 lakh were recovered from him. He confessed to committing the theft to clear debts incurred from gambling.
The incident occurred at the home of Parvati Hallur, Lokesh’s maternal grandmother. Lokesh had been staying with her for several years following his father’s demise.
A Strange Plan to Mislead
On the night of June 6, Lokesh injured his own hand and threw chili powder into his eyes to fake an attack. He then woke up his grandmother, claiming that he was assaulted while trying to stop thieves who broke into the house. The next day, he accompanied his grandmother to the Kulgod police station and repeated the fabricated story.
However, as police found no evidence of an external break-in, suspicion turned towards Lokesh. Upon questioning, he admitted to stealing 191 grams of gold jewellery and hiding it beneath a tree in a local cemetery. The stolen ornaments have since been recovered, and Lokesh has been remanded to judicial custody.
Gambling Habit Behind the Crime
According to Superintendent of Police Dr. Bhimashankar Guleda, Lokesh regularly visited casinos in Goa and was addicted to online gambling. He had accumulated a debt of ₹7 lakh, which led him to orchestrate the theft in a desperate bid to repay his dues.
