Date:14/07/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/07/14/stories/2003071406910300.htm

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Check bona fides of domestic workers: police

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI JULY 13. The City Police have again come out with their offer to check the bona fides of domestic workers in the wake of a recent case of robbery, which was `solved with the arrest of a maid and her accomplices within 24 hours'.

Addressing mediapersons today, the Commissioner, K. Vijay Kumar, said for their own security reasons, the residents should approach local police stations to verify the credentials of house help, be it drivers, secretaries or domestic help.

In this particular case, the domestic help of a residence in T.Nagar allegedly opened the balcony door for her accomplices to enter the house and decamp with valuables last Thursday.

The burglars had taken away about 200 sovereigns of jewellery, which were recovered intact after the gang was arrested.

Hardly two per cent of the residents approached the police for verifying the antecedents of their domestic employees, which later led to problems for them, according to the Commissioner.

Over the past 10 years, murders for gain had increased manifold and several cases could be traced to the employees.

The resident needed to provide the permanent address, local address and the details of the persons who recommended the employee to the police. An identity card would be issued to the employees. They were investigating about 10 major cases of robbery by household employees, he said.

The arrested were identified as Rupa (19), the maid from T.Nagar, Edmund (22) of Dharmapuram, Lokeshkumar (20) of Perambur GKM Colony, and Rajesh (25) of Nungambakkam Vaikunthapuram.