Gold theft inside Vidhana Soudha: Security lapses exposed at Karnataka’s power centre

Theft of cash and gold from a visitor’s bag inside Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh’s office raises serious questions about security checks at Vidhana Soudha.

Serious concerns have emerged over the security arrangements at Vidhana Soudha, the administrative heart of Karnataka, following a shocking theft inside the office of Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh. Despite heavy police presence and strict security protocols, a visitor’s bag containing cash and gold jewellery worth lakhs of rupees was stolen, exposing major lapses in the system.

The incident came to light after Naveen, who had visited the minister’s office for official work, filed a complaint at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station. According to his statement, he had accidentally left his bag inside the office, which reportedly contained 300 grams of gold jewellery and ₹1.5 lakh in cash. When he returned the next day to collect it, the bag was found missing.

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Police immediately registered a case and began investigating the matter. CCTV footage from inside the Vidhana Soudha complex provided a crucial breakthrough, revealing a ‘D’ Group employee from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) allegedly walking away with the bag. Based on the visuals, the police identified and arrested the accused, successfully cracking the case.

While the theft has been solved, the episode has triggered serious public debate on the effectiveness of security measures at Vidhana Soudha. Several disturbing questions have been raised. How did a person manage to carry 300 grams of gold and a large amount of cash into one of the most secured government buildings without detection? Why did metal detectors and scanning systems at entry points fail to flag the contents? Was there negligence in manual security checks?

Visitors often undergo strict screening even for small bags, making the incident even more alarming. The fact that a theft could occur inside a minister’s office has intensified concerns over the safety of sensitive government spaces.