3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 26, 2026 02:09 PM IST
A senior scientist was robbed of valuables worth Rs 45-50 lakh after thieves broke into her home inside the Scientist Hostel at the DRDO Timarpur complex in North Delhi, a highly secured area, police said.
The complainant, Seema Gautam, who is posted in Delhi, had travelled to Chandigarh on leave on May 15 to meet her husband and five-year-old daughter. Her husband is also a scientist and is posted as Joint Director with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Chandigarh
On Saturday (May 23), a neighbour found the flat’s door open and alerted Gautam, who filed a complaint at Timarpur police station that night. Local police, along with the Crime Branch and forensic teams, immediately inspected the premises and collected evidence.
Police said the burglars broke open an iron cupboard to access jewellery and other valuables.
According to the FIR, stolen items include about Rs 15,000 in cash, foreign currency (20 pounds and 50 dirhams), multiple gold ornaments and silver articles, children’s jewellery, and expensive watches. Specific losses listed are a necklace set, six bangles, seven chains, five rings, four sets of earrings, a nose pin, a silver anklet, 20 grams of silver coins, two Daniel Klein watches and a Titan watch.
Police said the total estimated value of the loot is between Rs 45 lakh and Rs 50 lakh.
The incident has raised serious questions about security inside the DRDO complex, which houses around 300 scientists, including several senior officers.
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Sources said the complex is guarded by 24 personnel and has multiple CCTV cameras, yet the culprits managed to enter, commit the theft and flee without being caught. Sources claimed many CCTV cameras installed on campus have been non-functional for the past few months.
Police said it is suspected that the accused scaled the wall of the campus to enter into the premises. Officers said multiple teams are investigating the case, checking CCTV footage and entry records, and compiling lists of people who accessed the complex around the time of the crime.
A senior police officer said a case under relevant sections has been registered and teams formed to nab the accused.
