Pune: In a heartwarming display of honesty, two young children who found a 52-gram gold "Mohanmala" necklace worth over ₹4.5 lakh while playing outside their home, returned it to the police. Thanks to their integrity, the necklace was safely reunited with its rightful owner. The incident took place near the ancient Kunjirwada area in Saswad, where former municipal councilor Jitendra alias Sonu Kaka Jagtap resides.
With schools on vacation, Varun Pradeep Jagtap (9) and Sharv Raj Mahendra Jagtap (8) were playing near their home in the afternoon when they spotted a bright yellow, shining necklace on the ground. Out of curiosity, they picked it up and brought it home. When they showed it to their uncle, Sonu Kaka Jagtap, he suspected it was real gold. Without delay, he took the children and the necklace to Saswad Police Station, where they handed it over to the authorities.
Assistant Police Inspector Vaibhav Sonawane and Police Sub-Inspector Ganesh Patil of Saswad Police Station launched an effort to locate the owner by spreading information about the found jewelry. Meanwhile, Megha Ramesh Gaikwad, a resident of Katraj, Pune, was searching for the lost necklace near Kunjirwada Road. She and her family later learned that the jewelry had been deposited at the Saswad Police Station. Upon visiting the station, police verified ownership using billing records and identity proof before returning the 52-gram gold Mohanmala to Megha Gaikwad.
How the Necklace Was Lost
The ancient Sangameshwar Temple in Saswad, located near the Karha River, is a well-known location for pre-wedding photoshoots. Megha Gaikwad had visited the site for one such shoot. During the process, her gold necklace accidentally fell, and she did not realize it was missing until later.
Overwhelming Joy on Recovering the Necklace
Upon regaining possession of the valuable jewelry, Megha Gaikwad was overjoyed. She said, "This necklace was bought for my wedding, and getting it back has doubled our happiness!" She expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards the police, the Jagtap family, and the two honest children who made it possible.
The honesty and integrity shown by Varun, Sharvraj, and Sonu Kaka Jagtap were widely praised. Their quick thinking and sense of responsibility ensured that the rightful owner got back her lost jewelry. As a mark of appreciation, Police Sub-Inspector Ganesh Patil honored the three individuals with a felicitation ceremony at Saswad Police Station.