Mangaluru: The name of the city has already taken a beating for various reasons. Earlier on, visitors from upcountry regions to the city or its worth-seeing spots used to go back with pleasant memories.
Many of them may be carrying with them bitter experiences etched in their minds, with a black spot on the reputation of this much-loved city.
Lakshmi from Harohalli in Kanakapura taluk near Bengaluru had arrived with a few others in a Toyota Qualis car to visit various places in the district and around. After visiting different temples, they visited the Panambur beach on Sunday around noon. Since the parking area was full, they parked their car at a distance away and spent their time on the beach.
When they came back to the car around 5 pm, a shock awaited them. One of the window-panes had been smashed and valuables from their bags had been stolen. The gold ornaments taken away included precious necklaces and bangles. The aggregate weight of the ornaments was 520 gms and the value is estimated at Rs 11.70 lakh.
The most shocking aspect found by the police was that the CCTV cameras installed at the spot is being blocked by a giant hoarding that has come up there lately. There was steady rain between 1 pm and 5 pm. This helped the culprits, besides the wild bushes that have grown around.
This is said to be the third instance of theft in the said beach, according to the immediate residents. But the police said that in the earlier two cases, no complaint had been filed by the victims.