This Article is From Jul 15, 2018

"Kleptomaniac" Gurgaon Millionaire Caught Stealing Exhibit From Museum

In the CCTV footage, 53-year-old Uday Ratra, the millionaire, can be seen leaving the museum with the replica.

'Kleptomaniac' Gurgaon Millionaire Caught Stealing Exhibit From Museum

When apprehended by police, Uday Ratra tried to escape from the backdoor with the replica

Highlights

  • Uday Ratra had tried to quietly escape from the backdoor with the replica
  • He tried to instruct his dogs to attack the police team as well
  • In 2006, he was deported to India from UK, where he spent around 20 years
New Delhi:

When an extremely precious replica of the ancient Olduvai Handaxe went missing from the National Museum in Delhi, the authorities weren't expecting it to be found at the home of a millionaire in Gurgaon.

The replica was stolen on June 24. The museum authorities had informed the police on Friday, who sifted through the CCTV footage at the museum.

In the footage, 53-year-old Uday Ratra was seen leaving the museum with the replica, police said.

Uday Ratra was arrested from his home late Friday night, but not without drama. IPS officer Madhur Verma tweeted the CCTV footage:

The police in a statement say when they reached Uday Ratra's home, he refused to let them in and asked them to come back the next morning. About eight or ten dogs present in the house kept barking at the police team.

The cops hid around the house, and soon Uday Ratra tried to quietly escape from the backdoor with the replica of the Olduvai Handaxe, said to be the first great invention of mankind about 1.5 million years ago.

He was arrested, but refused to go down without a fight. He even instructed his dogs to attack the police team, but was taken away swiftly by the cops, said a press statement issued by Deputy Commissioner Madhur Verma.

This is not Uday Ratra's first encounter with trouble. In 2006, he was deported to India from the UK, where he spent close to 20 years.

A decade later, he was arrested for allegedly trying to enter a five-star hotel in Sarojini Nagar with a blade while the then US secretary of state John Kerry was staying there.

He was also arrested for stealing imported liquor from a store the same year, police said.

His father had served the Coast Guard as an inspector general. An officer said that it is suspected that Uday Ratra is a kleptomaniac.

With inputs from PTI

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