Jobless Couple Arrested for Snatching Gold Chain to Fund Wedding in Hyderabad

A couple from Andhra Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly snatching a gold chain from a 65-year-old temple worker in Hyderabad to raise money for their planned wedding, police said.

The accused, identified as Annapu Reddy Durga Ramana Reddy, 23, and Tenka Varalaxmi, 24, were arrested by Vanasthalipuram police in the Malkajgiri area for allegedly stealing a gold chain weighing around 30 grams from the elderly woman in Hasthinapuram.

According to police, the incident took place at around 6.04 am on October 18 at the Raja Rajeshwari Temple in Venkata Ramana Colony. The victim, Andugula Ramulamma, was cleaning the temple when the accused allegedly targeted her in the absence of other devotees.

Police said Varalaxmi allegedly held the elderly woman and covered her mouth under the pretext of helping her, while Ramana Reddy forcibly snatched her gold chain, known as a pusthelathadu. The duo then fled the spot on an Activa scooter.

Investigators examined CCTV footage and tracked the suspects’ movements across several locations before arresting them near a jewellery shop in Kamala Nagar, Vanasthalipuram, on Wednesday morning, three days after the incident.

The stolen gold ornament and two mobile phones belonging to the accused were recovered, police said.

According to investigators, the accused had been in a relationship for around 18 months and were living together in the Gurramguda area of Hyderabad. They had reportedly moved to the city about a month ago in search of employment but allegedly failed to secure jobs.

Police said the couple resorted to the crime due to financial difficulties and wanted to arrange money for their marriage. Both are first-time offenders, with no previous criminal cases registered against them, according to police.

The accused have been remanded to judicial custody, while further investigation into the case is underway.