A Kanyakumari-based social media influencer and her businessman husband lost gold and diamond jewellery worth around Rs 1 crore after burglars broke into their house near Nagercoil, police said.
Police are examining the influencer’s social media posts as part of the investigation, after finding that several of her reels showed her jewellery and cash, as well as details of the family’s outings and shopping trips.
The burglary took place at the house of Madhumita, 29, and her husband Vinoth Kumar, a cardamom export businessman, in the VIP Garden area near Nagercoil. The couple have a two-year-old daughter.
On the evening of September 24, Thursday, the family left their house and travelled to Tirunelveli to shop for clothes. They returned around midnight and found that the front door could not be opened.
When Vinoth Kumar went around to the rear of the house, he found that the back door had been broken open. Inside, the family found their bedroom ransacked and an almirah forced open.
Police said 118 sovereigns of gold jewellery and diamond ornaments kept in a suitcase were missing. Cash amounting to Rs 50,000 was also reported missing, according to the initial account of the burglary. The total value of the stolen valuables was estimated at around Rs 1 crore.
Police who reached the house found that the burglars had entered through the rear door after breaking the lock. Police are also investigating whether the intruders used a tree-cutting machine to force open the door.
Inspector Jayalakshmi said the district Superintendent of Police had visited the scene and that five special teams had been formed to identify and arrest those responsible.
Investigators are also examining Madhumita’s social media activity. She has more than 41,000 followers on YouTube and regularly posts videos featuring her jewellery and cash.
According to police, some of her posts showed bundles of cash spread out at home and videos of her giving money to her daughter. She had also posted about buying gold jewellery regularly and, on some occasions, identified the stores where she made the purchases.
Police are also examining posts in which the family disclosed their travel and shopping plans. According to media reports, police said such information may have helped the burglars identify when the house would be vacant. It has not been established whether the burglars had seen or acted on these posts.