Unkindest cut: Help loots Bansdroni home after 20 years of service
Times of India | 6 January 2026
Kolkata: An 83-year-old woman, Bakul Deb Chowdhury, from Niva Park in Bansdroni, filed a complaint alleging theft of cash and valuable items from her residence, naming her long-time domestic help as the suspected person responsible for the theft.
Bakul's husband, a retired professor of Calcutta University, passed away around six years ago.
The complainant alleged that she kept Rs 3,51,500 in a cupboard in her house, along with small silver items, a silver lock, and some cutlery. She said she last saw the cash and items on Oct 25. Bakul further alleged that on Nov 8, she discovered that the valuables and money were missing, and that by the evening of the same day, the other items were also gone. When she opened the cupboard, she found that Rs 1.5 lakh was missing, she said. The complainant stated she searched extensively for the missing cash and items but could not locate them.
"I had difficulty believing she could be involved and tried to contact her multiple times. However, she never returned, forcing me to lodge an FIR on Sunday," said Bakul. The woman, in her complaint, stated that her maid, a resident of Canning, was with her for more than 20 years and repeatedly wanted to know her motive for this ‘sudden inclination to commit such a grave crime'.
According to the written statement, Bakul claimed that the house help left sometime in Nov, after taking the original keys of the almirahs and replacing it with a duplicate one. The complainant stated that during this period, Hasi stayed at her home several times, while she managed the daily affairs of the complainant's residence and had regular access to the premises.
"My son, an engineer, is settled in London. My daughter-in-law is a scientist, she also lives in London. My domestic help was with me for two decades and I have provided her loans for building her house. I opened a room for her children to stay here. I would have gladly provided her a loan again. It defies all logic why she did this. More than the money, this is what it hurts," said Bakul.
A senior officer from Kolkata Police highlighted the need for vigilance at all times, even with those serving for a long time, stating, "A few simple steps need to be followed to reduce the chances of becoming victims of such crimes. This includes locking the almirahs, getting the servants verified, and avoiding financial discussions in front of them. One primary objective will be to hire only from trusted agencies, which come with recommendations from across several quarters."