‘Inspired by Bunty Aur Babli’: Teen graphic designer, who lost job to AI, NEET aspirant friend held for Rs 16 lakh theft
PTC Web Desk: The Indore police have arrested an 18-year-old graphic designer and his female friend, a medical entrance exam aspirant, for allegedly stealing jewellery worth over Rs 16 lakh from a shop in the city. The duo reportedly told investigators that their actions were inspired by the 2005 Bollywood film 'Bunty Aur Babli'.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shrikrishna Lalchandani, the theft took place on the night of December 22 in the Rau police station area. The accused allegedly made away with gold, silver and diamond ornaments valued at Rs 16.17 lakh. The police later traced and arrested them from Bhopal, where they had fled after the incident. All the stolen jewellery has been recovered.
Without revealing the identities of the accused, the DCP said both are 18 years old and have known each other since childhood. The young man had been working part-time as a graphic designer with an IT firm but claimed he lost his job after the company began relying more on artificial intelligence-based tools. Facing financial hardship, he reportedly struggled to support himself.
The woman involved is preparing for NEET and also comes from a financially weak background, the police said.
During questioning, the accused told the police that they planned the theft after watching 'Bunty Aur Babli', believing they could easily sell the stolen jewellery. However, they claimed that potential buyers were unwilling to pay a fair price, assuming they were minors. As a result, the duo decided to hold on to the jewellery and wait until after the Christmas holidays to sell it.
The police are continuing further investigation to determine whether the couple was involved in any similar incidents.
- With inputs from agencies
