Hyderabad: CCTVs helped the Rachakonda police nab a notorious attention diversion offender, who targeted guests at function halls in the city.

The police said the suspect, Erra Mahender, diverted the attention of a couple at a function hall on Nagole X Road and decamped with jewellery in October during a wedding reception. The police recovered valuables and properties worth `16 lakh from him. Mahender, 43, a resident of Saidabad and a habitual gambler, was into the business of selling paper plates. He is known for his fancy lifestyle.




To foot the bill for his costly affairs, involving women and wine, he started committing crimes. He was arrested by the Asifnagar and Rajendranagar police earlier for stealing mobile phones.

Posing as guest, he moves around function halls in the city. On October 4, he went to Nimantran function hall on Nagole X Road, where a wedding reception was in progress. After the dinner, the guests were seen wishing the newly wed and the victim’s family was one of them.

The family members handed over the bag containing ornaments to the victim and went ahead to meet the bride and the bridegroom. The accused, who had already identified his target, stole the bag and fled away. He mortgaged a part of the jewellery with Muthoot Finance at Saidabad and Mehdipatnam,” said Mr Mahesh Bhagwat, Rachakonda police commissioner.

The police verified the CCTVs at the functional hall and also announced a cash award of `50,000 for information about the suspect. The police nabbed him on Sunday morning at Saidabad and recovered gold jewellery worth 510 gram from Muthoot Finance and a scooter, all worth Rs16 lakh.