Kozhikode: The police on Wednesday arrested two bus employees for stealing gold worth ₹5 lakh that was designated for delivery to a jewellery outlet in Malappuram district. The accused are bus conductor and driver - Arshad (36) from Cheruvadi and Mohammad Rishad (18) from Pazhur.

The City Crime Squad, under Town Assistant Commissioner Ashraf Thengilakkandy and the Kasaba police, nabbed the duo following a complaint filed by the jewellery store owner. They were accused of stealing 61 grams of gold that had been sent from Sanco Gold in Palayam to a jewellery shop in Areekode, Malappuram, via a private bus (Blessing) plying between the two districts on Tuesday.

A representative from Sanco Gold handed over a few completed gold ornaments to the bus cleaner for transport to Malappuram. Upon finishing his duty for the day, the cleaner passed the ornaments to the conductor.

However, when the bus reached Areekode, a representative from the jewellery outlet approached the bus employees, but both the conductor and driver claimed they had not received the gold.

Following this, jewellery owner Abdul Naser KP, a native of Areekode, filed a complaint with the Kasaba police. Sub-Inspector Jagmohan Dathan questioned the bus workers, who confessed to the theft.

The police later recovered the stolen gold from the bus. The accused were remanded to judicial custody. They are facing charges under sections 314 (dishonest misappropriation of property) 316(2) (criminal breach of trust),  318(4) (cheating), 3(5) (joint criminal libaility) under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.