Influencer flaunts gold, cash on Insta; burglars make off with booty

Madurai: First came the Instagram reels showing off gold, bundles of currency and even money being showered on a child. Then came updates on where the family was heading to. By the time they returned from a shopping trip on Thursday night, jewellery worth about ₹1 crore had vanished from their house.The burglary was reported at the house of businessman Vinoth Kumar at Thamathukonam near Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district. Kumar, who is involved in several businesses including cardamom trade, lives there with his wife Madhumitha, a YouTube and Instagram influencer, and their child.The family left home on Thursday evening to shop for clothes and returned in the night. On entering the bedroom, Kumar found the bureau forced open and the valuables inside missing. The haul included 120 sovereigns of gold ornaments, diamond jewellery and ₹50,000 in cash. Kumar then alerted Rajakkamangalam police.Investigators found that the intruders had reached the house through the rear entrance. The lock had been sliced open with a cutting machine before they entered the bedroom and broke into the bureau.Police are now examining Madhumitha’s social-media activity as part of the investigation. Her videos had featured her wearing jewellery kept at home, displaying bundles of currency spread across a mattress and showering currency notes on her child.“She had also uploaded videos saying the family bought gold every month and posted updates about where they went to purchase jewellery. Other reels routinely disclosed where the family was travelling and the purpose of their outings,” said an investigating officer.Police said the timing of the burglary matched the family’s Instagram updates, indicating the burglars tracked the reels and struck when the house was vacant. “Kanyakumari SP (Anshul Nagar) visited the crime scene and five special teams have been formed to track the suspects,” said inspector Jayalakshmi.Madhumitha had earlier courted controversy after entering the sanctum area of Suchindram Thanumalayan Swamy temple and filming a video. She had also posted an update around that episode saying the family purchased jewellery every month.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Madurai | Silver Rate in Madurai | Bank Holidays in Madurai | Public Holidays in Madurai | Madurai AQI | Weather in Madurai | Petrol Price in Madurai | Diesel Price in Madurai | CNG Price in Madurai | LPG Price in MaduraiStay updated with the latest Madurai news. Download the TOI App.