A thief was found unconscious in a corridor of a museum in Bhopal, along with his looted artefacts worth around Rs 15 crore. He was reportedly trying to flee with a bag containing the artefacts from the State Museum in the Madhya Pradesh capital.
The museum was closed on Monday, and when employees opened it at 10.30 am on Tuesday, they discovered broken glass panels in two rooms and several valuable items missing, police said.
Security guards on duty began a search and found the accused lying unconscious in a corridor in the museum with an injured leg. A large bag was discovered next to him, “containing artefacts including gold coins from the Gupta period, British-era coins, Nawabi-era coins, jewellery, utensils, and other antiques”, police said.
The suspect, identified as Vinod Yadav from Bihar’s Gaya, is allegedly a professional thief.
The total value of the recovered items is around Rs 8-10 crore.
Riyaz Iqbal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone 3, said the suspect likely tried to escape by climbing a 23-foot-high wall, but fell during the attempt.
“The accused had purchased a ticket and then managed to stay hidden while the museum was shut. Then he emerged from his hiding spot and began stealing precious coins and other valuables. He might have tried to climb the wall and fell in the attempt. Over 50 fingerprints were found in the museum. Initial investigations suggest that the accused was alone inside. We will question him to see whether he had an accomplice outside,” the DCP said.
Police said that after questioning, it was revealed that “Yadav repeatedly tried to escape, but had to go back inside each time due to the patrolling guards.”
The incident also highlighted potential security lapses at the museum. According to a senior police officer, the building “lacks an alarm system, and most CCTV cameras were non-functional. The doors, made of aluminium, are weak, and parts of the roof are covered with easily breakable plastic sheets.” Police said these issues would be “formally reported for necessary action”.
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