A sanitation worker in Chennai has earned widespread praise for her actions after she found a bag containing gold jewellery worth Rs 45 lakh on the road.
Padma, a sanitation worker from Muppathman Temple Street in Chennai’s T Nagar, was on her regular cleaning duty when she noticed an unattended bag on the roadside. Upon checking it, she found the bag was filled with gold ornaments weighing 45 sovereigns.
It was, however, what she did next that garnered much attention online.
Instead of giving in to temptation, Padma chose honesty and approached the police. She went to the Pondy Bazaar Police Station and handed the bag over to the police.
The police verified the jewellery’s weight and value, before tracing the owner. Their search led them to Ramesh, a resident of Nanganallur. Ramesh had earlier filed a police complaint about a missing bag containing gold jewellery.
After confirming the details, the ornaments were returned to him.
Padma’s act of integrity won her widespread praise. In fact, her husband Subramani too, during COVID-19 lockdown, had found Rs 1.5 lakh in cash near Marina Beach and had similarly, handed it over to the police.
The couple is now seen as examples of ethical conduct. Recognising Padma’s honesty, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin presented her with a reward of Rs 1 lakh.
