Mysuru: The ongoing Dasara festival has come as a boon for burglars and they are particularly targeting locked houses in posh areas of city. Burglars, who had attempted to break open the locks of several houses in Doctor’s Corner at Gokulam yesterday, were successful in looting the house of an Ayurvedic doctor.

According to the Police, burglars broke into the house of Dr. Asha Manu B. Menon and decamped with gold ornaments weighing 150 grams, Rs. 1 lakh in cash and several other valuables. Asha works for HMHMC Ayurveda Hospital in Gokulam.

Police said that as her routine, Dr. Asha left home at around 10 am to the hospital yesterday along with her husband. The couple usually return home at around 8 pm. Last night when the husband and wife returned home, they were shocked to find the doors of their house broken. They lived on the first floor and had rented out the ground floor.

They rushed inside the house only to see the cash, gold and other valuables missing. They immediately alerted the V.V. Puram Police. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the tenants who were living in the ground floor of the doctor’s house had gone to Mandya. This gave an opportunity for the burglars to commit the crime.

Police said that the burglars had made a series of attempts to break open the doors of other houses in the areas but were unsuccessful. At one of the houses located behind Dr. Asha’s house, the occupants screamed for help as the burglars attempted to break the door. Hearing the screams, the burglars fled the spot.

Residents say that theirs was a calm area with occasional vehicle movements. As Navaratri has begun, people generally go out with their families to celebrate and this gives ample chances for burglars to strike.