Mumbai, September 29 (Daily Kiran) : On September 29, during the Ganesh Visarjan festivities in Mumbai, a surge of thefts occurred as crowds gathered to bid farewell to Lord Ganesh. Thieves took advantage of the large gatherings, stealing mobile phones and gold jewelry from devotees. Police reported that 18 suspects have been arrested, including two women and a minor.
More than 200 complaints related to lost or stolen mobile phones were filed across various police stations. Authorities registered 192 cases specifically for mobile phones, along with 10 additional reports of stolen mobile phones and gold chains.
Millions of devotees congregated in areas like Lalbagh, Parel, and Girgaon Chowpatty to participate in the immersion processions. Police indicated that pickpocketing gangs, comprised of both local members and outsiders, exploited the crowds during the immersion procession of ‘Lalbaghcha Raja’ in central Mumbai.
Many attendees reported that their mobile phones were stolen from their pockets and gold chains were snatched from their necks. Women’s purses were also targeted amid the throngs of people. Initial investigations revealed that organized gangs were involved, often using women and minors to carry out their crimes.
Reports emerged of two women caught red-handed with stolen items while attempting to pickpocket during the immersion procession, also known as ‘Mirvanuak.’
In response to the spike in theft complaints, the Mumbai police deployed plainclothes officers along the immersion routes. Suspects were detained for questioning, leading to the recovery of 14 smartphones and seven gold chains from the arrested individuals.
Authorities are now on the lookout for the accomplices of the arrested suspects and are continuing their investigations to recover more stolen mobile phones and valuables.
Meanwhile, police are reviewing footage from over 100 CCTV cameras installed along the Ganesh immersion routes in Lalbagh, Chinchpokli, Bharat Mata Junction, and Girgaon Chowpatty to identify other suspects and track their activities.
The Mumbai police’s cyber cell and technical analysis branch are utilizing the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal to track the stolen mobile phones by their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.
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