Acts of honesty are rare, but sometimes they come from the most unexpected places. In Chennai, a sanitation worker named Padma showed that doing the right thing still matters. While doing her daily work,
she found a bag filled with gold jewellery worth nearly Rs 45 lakh. Instead of keeping it, she chose to return it. Her action has now touched many people and reminded them that honesty does not depend on wealth or status.
Padma works on the streets every day, cleaning roads and collecting waste. What she found during one such routine day changed everything.
A Routine Day Turns Unexpected
Padma, who is around 45 years old, works as a sanitation worker with the Greater Chennai Corporation. On January 11, she was cleaning Muppathman Temple Street in T Nagar, just like she does every day. While working near a garbage cart, she noticed a plastic bag lying unattended.
At first, she thought it might contain food waste or scrap. But something about it felt unusual. When she opened the bag, she was shocked to reportedly see gold jewellery inside, including a necklace, earrings, and bangles.
Padma Takes A Quick Decision
Padma immediately informed her supervisors about what she had found. Senior officials reportedly came to the spot and waited for some time to see if anyone would come looking for the bag. When no one arrived, they decided to inform the police.
According to News18 Kannada, Padma said, “As soon as I saw the gold in the bag, I had one memory. I felt how much pain the family who lost this gold must be going through. I decided to give it to the police to end their suffering.”
The bag was then reportedly handed over to the Pondy Bazaar Police Station for further action.
Police Trace The Owner Of The Gold
After examining the jewellery, police reportedly confirmed that it weighed around 36 to 45 sovereigns and was worth nearly Rs 45 lakh. They began searching for the owner and soon found a complaint filed by Ramesh, a resident of Nanganallur.
Ramesh told the police that he had kept the bag on a pushcart while talking to friends and had accidentally forgotten it. After verifying documents and details, the police returned the jewellery to him, bringing relief to his family.
Honesty Runs In The Family
Padma’s action earned praise from officials and the public. Many were also reminded that this was not the first such incident in her family. During the COVID-19 lockdown, her husband Subramani had found Rs 1.5 lakh in cash near Marina Beach and returned it to the police as well.
பெருநகர சென்னை மாநகராட்சி தூய்மைப் பணியாளர் திருமதி பத்மா அவர்கள் நேற்று (11.1.2026) சென்னை, தியாகராய நகர், வண்டிக்காரன் சாலையில் தூய்மைப் பணியில் ஈடுபட்டிருந்தபோது கண்டெடுத்த 45 சவரன் தங்க நகைகளை பாண்டிபஜார் காவல் நிலையத்தில் ஒப்படைத்து, பிறருக்கு முன்னுதாரணமாக திகழ்ந்ததை… pic.twitter.com/8cUFPxeedT
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) January 12, 2026
The couple lives in a rented house and is raising two children. Recognising Padma’s honesty, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin honoured her and awarded her Rs 1 lakh as a mark of appreciation.
