Six days on job, maid gets elderly woman robbed

CHANDIGARH: With crime and criminals homing in on the Tricity, Monday proved no better as a senior citizen was held hostage inside her house, before being robbed by three persons, including a recently-employed maid servant, in Sector 61 here.
Police sources said Savita Devi, 65, had kept Sonia as a domestic help six days ago and had not got her antecedents verified.Sonia, along with two others, robbed the retired government employee of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.50 lakh and Rs 10,000 cash.
The incident took place when Savita Devi was alone at home and Sonia, a resident of colony number 5, made a telephone call, asking two youths to come there.
The victim's son Rajiv and daughter-in-law Jyoti had left for work around 9am and her two granddaughters were at school.
In her police statement, the senior citizen maintained that the three gagged her with a piece of cloth and locked the house from inside and outside.
The accused later fled from the back door.
After managing to free herself, Savita Devi raised an alarm and called the neighbours.
Inspector Anokh Singh said the victim was being shown criminals' photos for identification and checking was being conducted in colonies to look for Sonia.
The victim was taken to a hospital for checkup and discharged after preliminary treatment. Police sources said as the family hadn't got the servant registered, legal proceedings could be initiated against them.
The victim's family had apparently employed Sonia after she was found wandering in their locality for job.
The accused had claimed that her hut had been demolished during an anti-encroachment drive in Sector 25.