The Chikkadpally police on Friday arrested a couple involved in snatching a gold chain from a 69-year-old woman at her apartment building near Devi Theatre.
The accused have been identified as Gudipati Bramaiah, 51 and his wife, Gudipati Anjali alias Anjani, 48, residents of Borabanda and natives of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh.
The incident was reported on the night of October 31 when the victim, Surekha Auradkar, was returning home after shopping. As she waited for the elevator in her apartment, a masked man approached her, grabbed her arm and forcibly ripped off her gold chain, causing abrasions to her neck, before fleeing the scene.
Acting on credible information, police teams nabbed Bramaiah near Sahara Bakery in Ashok Nagar on Saturday morning. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and stated that he committed the robbery due to financial distress after business losses and debts incurred for his daughter’s wedding. He admitted that he learned chain-catching techniques by watching YouTube videos and the news.
According to investigators, Bramaiah scouted areas like Yousufguda and Borabanda for about two weeks before targeting the elderly woman. He used a paper cutting blade and a mask to commit the crime. He had earlier attempted this in the Sultan Bazar area the same day before he started following the victim.
After the robbery, he handed over the stolen chain to his wife, who pawned it at the Manappuram Gold branch in Kukatpally for ₹1.13 lakh. The couple used part of the proceeds to settle their debts.
Police recovered a broken gold chain weighing 4.6 gm, another chain stopped at Manappuram weighing 14.35 gm, a paper cutter and a mobile phone from their possession.
Further investigation is underway.
Published – 8 Nov 2025 18:59 IST
