Buldhana, August 23: A shocking incident has occurred in Buldhana district, Maharashtra. Thieves took advantage of the crowd during the Sant Gajanan Maharaj pilgrimage, targeting devotees. Over 14 participants in the procession from Khamgaon reported the theft of gold jewelry, valued at more than ₹2.5 million.
The thieves struck during the first leg of the pilgrimage, stealing items primarily from women, including mangalsutras, and gold chains worn by men. The Khamgaon city police have registered a case against unidentified thieves and initiated an investigation. During this process, they arrested five suspects and recovered goods worth ₹377,000.
The pilgrimage left Khamgaon for Shegaon at 5 AM on August 19, with a large number of devotees walking alongside. The thieves exploited the heavy crowd to carry out their thefts. Among the victims was local entrepreneur Satish Rathi, who lost a gold chain weighing approximately six tolas, and Neelam Khalde, who reported the theft of items worth around ₹1 million.
Additionally, a woman lost her jewelry near the Manavdharma area on the Khamgaon-Shegaon route. All victims have filed complaints at the Khamgaon city police station.
Inspector Surendra Aherkar of Khamgaon city police reported the arrests of Rohil Milind Shinde (resident of Jalna), Kohinoor Badal Waghri (resident of Palghar), Nityugna Shankar Bhosale (resident of Akola), Gayatri Kohinoor Waghri (resident of Palghar), and Sudhir Ravasahab Karale (resident of Ahilyanagar). The police recovered goods worth ₹377,000 along with a four-wheeler from the suspects. Investigations are ongoing to determine how many other devotees may have been targeted during the pilgrimage. Given the large crowds, the police have urged devotees to remain vigilant about their valuables and jewelry.
Leave a Comment