A 37-year-old man, who had travelled to IIT Madras to attend an international conference, was arrested for allegedly stealing cash from the bag of a fellow participant staying at the institute’s guest house in Kotturpuram.

The accused, Amrish Prakash, 37, of Aruppukkottai, Virudhunagar district, was arrested by the Kotturpuram police, who recovered ₹3,000 of the stolen cash from him.

The complainant, Rohini Dattatraya Kitture, 43, a resident of Pune, Maharashtra, had arrived in Chennai on July 12 to deliver a lecture at the international conference being held at IIT Madras. She was staying at the institute’s guest house.

Police said that on the night of July 14, Dr. Kitture discovered that ₹3,500 kept in her bag had gone missing. She lodged a complaint with the Crime Wing of the Kotturpuram police station, following which a case was registered.

During the investigation, the police examined the scene and gathered evidence that led to the arrest of Amrish Prakash. They recovered ₹3,000 from his possession.

Investigators found that the accused, an M.Sc. graduate, had also attended the same international conference at IIT Madras. Police alleged that he stole the cash from the complainant’s bag while both were staying on the campus. They also found that he was already facing another criminal case.

Published - July 18, 2026 12:13 am IST