The record
Written from the 1 report below. Nothing here is unsourced.
- A Bengaluru man arrested in December 2023 for allegedly stealing rare books, including The Pirates of Malabar by Colonel John Biddulph, from the 160-year-old Nilgiri Library in Ooty has been acquitted.
- Police had traced him through a tip-off about the sale of the book on Instagram and used the Cyber Crime Cell to identify him.
- The trial ran at the judicial magistrate court in Udhagamandalam from 2024.
- On September 30, 2025, judge D. Ravi acquitted the man due to lack of evidence.
What to watch next
- Whether the Nilgiri Library recovers the missing rare books
- Any police appeal or further action after the acquittal
- Steps the library takes to prevent future thefts of rare books
Coverage1
1 report
English national1
All filed from India
Named India · Nilgiri Library · Debnath · D. Ravi · Nilgiris District Police · Ooty Town Police · Udhagamandalam Judicial Magistrate Court
The 1 report is listed beside the record.
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