Police have arrested two people and recovered about five kilograms of gold ornaments in connection with the theft of roughly 20 kilograms of jewellery from a newly inaugurated Tanishq showroom in Palanganatham, Madurai. The prime suspect remains at large, with special teams searching for him.
The arrests were made after investigators used mobile phone signal surveillance to trace Suresh and Meenakshi, police said on Saturday. Suresh is identified as the father of Nishanth, whom police have named as the alleged mastermind. Meenakshi, an Instagram influencer, is described by police as a close associate of Nishanth.
The showroom is located along Bypass Road and was reportedly targeted by masked intruders. The burglary involved jewellery worth several crores of rupees, although police are still determining the exact value of the recovered ornaments and the quantity that remains untraced.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the offenders may have exploited ongoing interior and electrical work at the recently inaugurated outlet. Police suspect that entry was gained through an area near the elevator shaft. The stolen valuables were taken from the storefront display counters, while the showroom’s high-security vaults were left untouched.
The case highlights how access points created during fit-out and finishing work can become part of the security perimeter at newly opened commercial premises. In this instance, investigators are examining whether the ongoing work enabled the intruders to enter the building without breaching the main vault systems. Police have not disclosed whether the construction or electrical contractors had any role in the incident.
A key lead emerged from surveillance footage recorded inside and around the showroom. CCTV visuals reportedly showed Nishanth, who works as a bike-taxi driver, leaving the premises on a two-wheeler in the early hours of Thursday. Police also reviewed earlier footage and found that he had visited the store three times before the theft, allegedly conducting a recce.
According to police, the suspect wore a different shirt during each visit but used the same cap on all three occasions. This detail helped investigators establish his identity and connect the earlier visits to the burglary, police said.
The arrests and recovery form the first major breakthrough in the investigation, but the main suspect has not yet been apprehended. Police teams are continuing efforts to trace Nishanth and are also working to establish the precise quantity and value of jewellery still missing from the showroom.
The investigation will now focus on locating the remaining stolen ornaments, reconstructing how the showroom was entered and determining the role, if any, of people linked to the ongoing interior and electrical work. Further arrests and recovery details are expected as the special teams continue their search.
