Bangalore, Apr 23 (DHNS): H S Lalitha, the BJP corporator from Girinagar ward in South Bangalore, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon on charges of shoplifting at Sukh Sagar Mall in Gandhi Nagar.

According to the police, Lalitha had gone shopping at Ashok Apparels, located in the basement of the mall. After trying a few outfits, she allegedly returned only two tops to the shop attendant. The attendants grew suspicious and confronted her.

When they questioned her, she tried to dodge them. The attendants then informed the shop owner Ashok. Lalitha reportedly confessed to shoplifting, said the police.

Ashok, the police said, took her to Upparpet police station and during interrogation, Lalitha admitted to stealing clothes by wearing one over the other. She also reportedly admitted that she had used the same tactic to shoplift from the same apparel shop a few months ago.

A case has been registered against the corporator. Rajendra Kumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Chickpet Sub-Division, said that Lalitha was produced before the jurisdictional court, which remanded her in judicial custody.

She is now lodged in Bangalore Central Prisons at Parappana Agrahara. She is suspected to be suffering from kleptomania — the inability to refrain from the urge to steal items for reasons other than personal use or financial gain. Enquiries with her family would throw more light on the incident, the ACP said.

Lalitha, a first-time corporator, was elected from the Girinagar ward in the last BBMP elections. The ward is part of the Basavanagudi Assembly constituency.