Rajkot: A newlywed couple who eloped and sought refuge at a relative’s home has been arrested for stealing gold ornaments worth Rs 15 lakh from the same house. The accused, Aakash Kyada (26) and his wife Rushika (25), were arrested from their native village Ambaliya on Monday after returning to meet family members.According to Junagadh Taluka police, Aakash had incurred losses in the stock market and planned the theft to repay his debts. “He took advantage of the trust shown by his relatives and executed the plan during their stay,” said inspector RP Vanzara.The complaint was filed by Jayesh Patel, a resident of Bhiyal village. Patel stated that the couple arrived at his house around 1:30 am on May 21. Aakash, a cousin of Jayesh’s sister-in-law Bhavisha, introduced Rushika as his wife and claimed they needed temporary shelter because her family disapproved of their marriage and they feared for their safety.The Patels offered them refuge, and the couple stayed for 15 days. A few days after their departure, the family discovered that gold ornaments belonging to Jayesh and his brother — worth around Rs 15 lakh — were missing from their locker.Following their arrest, Aakash and Rushika confessed to the theft during interrogation. Police investigations revealed that part of the stolen jewellery had been mortgaged at IIFL Finance in exchange for a loan. Gold worth Rs 7.71 lakh has been recovered so far, and efforts are underway to trace the rest..
