Police in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram have arrested 53-year-old Sindhu Kumari in connection with the alleged gold fraud linked to the Vizhinjam suicide attempt case. Investigators allege that she gained the trust of two women employed at a private finance company and took possession of customers’ pledged gold ornaments without returning them. Police believe the alleged fraud pushed the two employees into severe financial distress, leading them to attempt suicide. One of the women later died while undergoing treatment.
According to police, the accused was arrested from the residence of one of her relatives. During a search of her house, investigators allegedly recovered fake visiting cards and bill books believed to have been used in the fraud. Following news of her arrest, police received nearly 10 additional complaints accusing her of financial cheating and breach of trust.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Sindhu previously operated a gold finance business and gradually gained the confidence of employees working in private financial institutions. She allegedly persuaded them to hand over customers’ pledged gold ornaments by claiming that she could re-pledge the jewellery with other financial institutions at lower interest rates. After initially returning some ornaments to establish credibility, she allegedly began selling or misappropriating the jewellery instead of returning it to customers.
According to investigators, the two employees allegedly borrowed money to purchase replacement ornaments of the same weight in an effort to avoid complaints from customers. As their debts continued to mount beyond their financial capacity, they allegedly attempted to end their lives. Police said one employee had allegedly entrusted around 20 sovereigns of gold to the accused, while the other handed over approximately 50 sovereigns.
The investigation has further revealed that some of the ornaments were allegedly disposed of through another finance establishment in Kovalam. Police said Sindhu already faces multiple cheating cases involving fake gold pledging and financial fraud. Those earlier cases are also being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
According to police, the suicide attempt occurred on June 30, when the two women allegedly consumed a poisonous substance mixed in a beverage. Their family members initially believed they were suffering from food poisoning and sought treatment at private hospitals, resulting in a delay in specialised medical care. They were later shifted to a government medical college hospital, where one of the women succumbed during treatment, while the other continues to receive medical care.
Investigators said the two women allegedly held the accused responsible for their situation in a final message sent before consuming the poison. Police are expected to seek the accused’s custodial interrogation before the court for further investigation. The probe is continuing.
