21 June,2011 06:19 AM IST | | Sayed Roshan
Jewellery, foreign currency stolen while 60-year-old's dead body was being brought from Singapore to Mumbai
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HERE's one to make the dead sit up from their graves.
Conception D'Souza (60) was robbed of two gold rings, one necklace, four gold bangles, one pair of gold earrings, 900 New Zealand dollars, and then some.
It isn't the value of the stolen commodities, however, that makes this tale extraordinary, but the scene of the crime the woman's coffin.
And, the considerate thief left chocolates behind.
D'souza died of natural causes in Singapore on June 5, while on her way back from New Zealand after visiting her daughter, Zulfiya Chawdhary.
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After the post-mortem, the body was sent to Mumbai in a coffin, which also contained some of her other belongings jewellery, cash, clothes and some chocolates she had bought during her trip.
When the coffin reached Mumbai on June 7, it was kept at the morgue of the Bhabha Hospital in Bandra, where it was opened by D'Souza's son, only to find that the cash and jewellery was missing.
"I was shocked to find that my mother's belongings were robbed from inside the coffin. I want my mother's jewellery back, those ornaments are her memories.
I have contacted the Singapore Airport Authorities and they have sent me a list of all that was kept with her in her coffin.
I have also asked for the photographs of the coffin when it was being scanned in the X-ray machine at the Singapore airport to back my case, which haven't been sent by them yet," said Ashley D'Souza, Conception's son.
Ashley said he has been running from pillar to post to get the case investigated by the police, but to no avail.
"On June 10, I went to the Sahar police station to file a complaint, but they said that the coffin was opened in Bhabha Hospital, which comes under the Bandra police's jurisdiction and hence the case should be filed there.
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When I approached the Bandra police the same day, they took down my complaint and told me that they will forward it to the Sahar police station, who would conduct the inquiry as the case came under their jurisdiction," added Ashley.
When MiD DAY spoke to police officials, we found that they, too, were unsure of who would investigate the case.
"We have sent an NOC to the Sahar police station and they will investigate the issue as the airport comes under their jurisdiction," said an officer from the Bandra police, who did not wish to be named.
An officer from the Sahar police, however, said, "The coffin was opened in Bandra and, therefore, we are awaiting a response from the Bandra police."
In the coffin
The list sent by the Singapore Airport Authority to Ashley stated that the following items were in Conception's coffin:
2 gold rings
1 necklace
4 gold bangles
1 pair of gold earrings
900 New Zealand dollars
Some cash in Indian currency
Chocolates
The Other Side
DCP Satyanarayan Chaudhary of Zone 8 said, "I have no idea about the case. I will look into the matter."
Manish Kalghatgi, spokesperson, Mumbai International Airport Limited, said, "It is not our responsibility. The concerned airline should look into the matter."
