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Bengaluru Police arrests suspect in burglary at Spanish national's residence: Report
Bengaluru police arrested Pokathota Gangandhar Rao, a 32-year-old burglar from Andhra Pradesh, for breaking into a flat of a Spanish national.
Bengaluru police have arrested a burglar who is allegedly responsible for breaking into the flat of a Spanish national on Langford Road, reported The Times of India. The accused, identified as Pokathota Gangandhar Rao, alias Karthik (32), hails from Maddilapalem in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Police said that the accused often travels to Bengaluru solely to commit burglaries.
Also Read - Bengaluru Police dismiss claims of Spanish tourist being asked to speak in Kannada during emergency call
According to the report, Rao was apprehended during a recent patrol when officers noticed him loitering suspiciously in Koramangala. Unable to provide satisfactory answers to their questions, he attempted to flee when asked about the contents of his bag. During interrogation by Inspector Nataraj DN, Rao confessed to burglarizing a flat on Langford Road.
The stolen items, including a laptop, a platinum ring, a Spanish identification card, and debit cards, were recovered by the police. However, Rao had already spent ₹10,000 of the stolen cash. A senior officer noted that Rao has a history of similar offenses and had previously been arrested by Indiranagar, Sadashivanagar, and Yelahanka police. Unlike conventional burglars, Rao avoids breaking into homes and instead enters through windows or toilet ventilators.
Spanish national’s harrowing experience goes viral, Bengaluru Police clarify
The burglary occurred at the ground-floor flat of Abrielle, a Spanish national in his mid-30s, at the Nydus apartment complex in Richmond Town. On January 15, around 9:17 AM, Abrielle dialed the emergency helpline 112 after two burglars broke into his home. Struggling with English, he attempted to explain his situation in a mix of broken English and Spanish. However, it was reported that the helpline operator allegedly asked him to speak in Kannada before disconnecting the call.
The Bengaluru police later clarified that no detailed call from Abrielle was officially registered. The initial call at 9:17 AM was disconnected without conversation. A follow-up call two minutes later contained limited information, and the operator’s response in Kannada led to further miscommunication. A Hoysala patrol vehicle was dispatched to the location but could not intervene due to the lack of precise details and response from the victim.
