In a heart-warming incident that highlights honesty and integrity, a sanitation worker in Chennai found 36 tolas of gold jewellery in a garbage heap and immediately handed it over to the police. The incident took place in T Nagar, Chennai, and later drew appreciation from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who honoured the woman and rewarded her with ₹1 lakh.
According to officials, Padma (45) works as a sanitation worker with the Greater Chennai Corporation. On Sunday, she was cleaning roads in Muppathu Amman Koil Street, T Nagar, as part of her daily duties. After completing her shift in the afternoon, she noticed a plastic bag lying on a pushcart by the roadside. Since no one was around, she initially assumed it contained waste and decided to dispose of it.
However, out of curiosity, Padma checked the contents of the bag before throwing it away. To her surprise, she found gold jewellery inside the bag. Realising the seriousness of the situation, she waited at the spot for some time, hoping that the owner might return. When no one came forward, she took the bag directly to the Pondy Bazaar Police Station and handed it over.
Police officials examined the bag and confirmed that it contained 36 tolas of gold, valued at more than ₹45 lakh. The police immediately launched an investigation to trace the owner. After verification, they identified a man named Ramesh as the rightful owner of the jewellery. Police found that Ramesh had placed the bag on a pushcart while speaking to a friend and accidentally forgot it. After checking purchase documents, the police returned the gold ornaments to him.
Meanwhile, the story of Padma’s honesty spread quickly on social media and received widespread appreciation. Taking note of the incident, Chief Minister MK Stalin invited Padma to the Secretariat on Monday. He honoured her with a shawl and praised her integrity. As a mark of recognition, the Tamil Nadu government awarded her ₹1 lakh in cash for her exemplary honesty.
This incident has earned praise from across the state, with many people calling Padma an inspiration. Her actions once again prove that honesty still thrives, even in the most unexpected situations.
