CHENNAI: A cleanliness worker with Chennai Corporation, S Padma (48), has earned praise for returning 45 sovereign gold jewellery worth about Rs 50 lakhs, which she found while cleaning the streets in T Nagar on Sunday. The Pondy Bazaar police handed over the jewellery to the rightful owner after verification.

According to the police, Ramesh (45) of Nanganallur is in the business of buying old jewellery from acquaintances and from bank auctions and reselling it.

On Sunday afternoon, Ramesh, who was carrying the jewellery in a bag, visited a friend on Muthamman Koil Street in T Nagar. While talking with his friend, Ramesh placed the bag on an empty pushcart and became engrossed in the conversation. After a while, Ramesh left, leaving the bag containing the jewellery behind.

After realising that he had left the jewellery behind, Ramesh rushed to the spot, and the bag was nowhere to be found. Following this, he approached the Pondy Bazaar police station with a complaint.

Meanwhile, a cleanliness worker, S Padma, who was on duty in the area, found the bag with the jewellery on the push cart and immediately informed her supervisors about what the bag contained.

Padma, along with her supervisors, handed over the jewellery to the local police, who, after verifying the claims by Ramesh, handed over the jewels to him. Padma was appreciated by police personnel and Greater Chennai Corporation officials.