CHENNAI: A government hospital nurse was arrested for spiking her co-worker's juice and robbing her 4.75 sovereign chain while escorting her back home in an auto rickshaw.

When the victim approached the police, the accused tried to shift the blame to the auto driver. However, the probe revealed that the nurse had also stolen another nurse's chain by mixing sleeping pills in her soup.

E Thangammal (38) of Saidapet works as a nurse at the Government Children's Hospital in Egmore. On Saturday, Thangammal complained of dizziness and collapsed at work. Nancy Nisha, another nurse who lives in the same TNHB quarters as Thangammal, offered to take her home.

When Thangammal woke up after resting at home, she realised her gold chain was missing, and she enquired with Nisha and the auto driver. As both of them claimed innocence, Thangammal filed a complaint at the Saidapet police station.

Nancy told the police that she, too, had slept in the auto rickshaw and suggested the driver might have stolen the chain. However, the auto driver told the police that Nisha was very much awake during the journey and was using her mobile phone throughout. The police intensified the probe following the contradictory claims and found that Nisha was the culprit.

The police said Nancy had spiked Thangammal's juice with sleeping pills and planned to steal the chain while taking her home. She broke the stolen chain into two pieces and pledged one half at a pawnbroker in Vyasarpadi and the other near her house.

The pledged chain was recovered, and Nancy Nisha was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.