Madurai Tanishq Robbery: YouTuber Meenakshi, Accused's Father Held, Around 5 kg Gold Recovered
Police in Madurai arrested Meenakshi, who ETV Bharat describes as a popular YouTuber and Instagram influencer, and Suresh, the father of the main accused, over the Tanishq showroom robbery, ETV Bharat reported on 14 November 2026. Around five kg of gold jewellery was recovered from the accused, police said, according to the same report. A senior police officer said the main accused, Nishanth, remains at large and a manhunt has been launched to find him, while both arrested people are being interrogated. Aaj Tak, which calls the YouTuber Nishant, describes Meenakshi as his girlfriend.
What Was Stolen From the Showroom
The theft was discovered on the morning of 12 November 2026, when staff opened the showroom on Madurai Bypass Road, PTI reported. The outlet had been inaugurated only 15 days earlier, according to the same report. Deputy Commissioner of Police A G Inigo Divyan told reporters that the burglars went only for display items, and that jewellery kept in the lockers was not touched. Madurai City Police Commissioner S Rajendran said that about 30 per cent of the goods in the shop had been stolen. Police said on 12 November 2026 that the exact value of the stolen gold would be fixed only once the showroom management filed a formal complaint. DT Next later described the case as a Rs 21-crore robbery. Aaj Tak, citing police, reported that 11.465 kg of gold worth about Rs 16 crore was stolen from the showroom. Aaj Tak added that diamond jewellery worth about Rs 15 crore was also taken, which put the combined value at about Rs 31 crore.
How the Burglary Was Carried Out
Rajendran said in the first PTI report that CCTV footage points to the involvement of three individuals. DT Next later reported that the burglar is suspected to have acted alone. According to DT Next, CCTV footage allegedly showed a man who visited the showroom three times before the robbery while posing as an ordinary customer. Rajendran said the footage also showed a masked man climbing the rear scaffolding to the third floor on 5 November, during a trial run. In the early hours of 12 November, the burglar slipped in through a small door meant for lift maintenance, then went down the lift rope to the first-floor showroom, DT Next said. A senior police officer said the burglar spent nearly an hour lifting items out of the display cases and putting them in a duffel bag and a trolley bag. Police said CCTV footage suggests the burglar left on a scooter.
Raid on the Suspect's Home
City police raided a suspect's house in Palanganatham, DT Next reported. A police source told the paper that the suspect, a 25-year-old named Nishanth, was away from home during a search that lasted nearly three hours. No jewellery was found at the house, and the source described the suspect as a YouTuber and bike-taxi driver. While studying camera recordings of the robber's escape route, police grew suspicious of Nishanth Krishna, a Palakkanath youth who works as a bike-taxi driver and YouTuber, ETV Bharat said. Vikatan reported that police questioned the parents of the graduate youth whose house was searched, while he remained in hiding.
Arrests, Recovery and Next Steps
ETV Bharat reported that after the robbery a call was made from Nishanth's phone to Meenakshi. Based on that call and related information, police arrested Meenakshi and Suresh, according to the same report. ETV Bharat also said police learned that Nishanth had gone to a field in Madakulam, where he burned two bags of clothes. Vikatan describes Meenakshi as an Instagram influencer and a friend of the youth. Vikatan added that she earlier worked at a popular YouTube channel that publishes videos about mobile phones. The Indus Pulse's own reporting found that she previously worked at Tech Boss, a YouTube channel. Vikatan said police stated that she did not take part in the robbery directly but was arrested for receiving and keeping the bag of jewellery. Special teams have been formed under three Assistant Commissioners of Police, with three inspectors in each team, the DCP told PTI. Rajendran told DT Next that police are collecting the details of thieves who follow a similar modus operandi and checking where they are. He said the burglar could be from within the state or from another part of the country, and that police cannot rule out any possibility.