Faridabad scrap dealer returns gold worth Rs 15 lakh to rightful owner, sets example of rare honesty
PTC Web Desk: In a heartwarming incident that has restored faith in humanity, a scrap dealer in Faridabad returned nearly 100 gram of gold jewellery worth around Rs 15 lakh to its rightful owner months after it was accidentally sold as junk during a Diwali clean-up.
The jewellery belonged to Ashok Sharma, a local resident, who had unknowingly disposed of the ornaments while clearing out household scrap. According to Sharma, the gold had been kept safely in a box, which was then placed inside a sack before the family left for the Kumbh Mela early last year to avoid any risk of theft. However, during Diwali cleaning, the same sack was mistakenly treated as scrap and sold off.
The family realised the blunder only later and immediately contacted the scrap dealer. Despite searching, the jewellery could not be traced at that time, leaving the family disheartened.
Nearly four months later, the scrap dealer, Haji Akhtar Khan, fondly known as Khan Sahab, stumbled upon the gold wrapped in paper while sorting through scrap material. Sensing something valuable, he got it verified by a local goldsmith to confirm its authenticity.
Recalling the earlier visit by Sharma, Khan chose the honest path. He informed the police and brought the jewellery to the office of ACP Ballabgarh, Jitesh Malhotra, where it was formally handed over to the relieved owner on Thursday.
“After confirming it was real gold, I remembered that Ashok Sharma had once come to me looking for missing jewellery. I felt it was my moral duty to return it. My family stood firmly with me in this decision,” Khan said.
ACP Jitesh Malhotra lauded Khan’s integrity and described the act as a shining example for society. “Such gestures reaffirm that honesty still exists. At the same time, people must remain cautious about their valuables,” he said.
- With inputs from agencies
