Bhatkal: A couple in Bhatkal lost gold ornaments worth nearly ₹9 lakh after their house was burgled while they were away attending a wedding ceremony in Mangaluru.

The burglary occurred at the residence of newspaper agent Francis D’Souza, located behind Purvarga Church in Bhatkal, and came to light on Wednesday morning. According to D’Souza, he and his wife had locked their house around 10 a.m. on Tuesday before leaving for the wedding.

On returning early Wednesday morning, the couple found the front door lock broken. Upon entering the house, they noticed that the bedroom cupboard had been open and household items were strewn across the room. A subsequent check revealed that gold ornaments worth approximately ₹9 lakh were missing.

Following information, Bhatkal Town Police rushed to the spot and launched an investigation. A dog squad and fingerprint experts from Karwar were also pressed into service to inspect the scene.

A case has been registered at the Bhatkal Town Police Station, and further investigation is underway.