Pickpockets who thrived at Lalbaug

Two gangs – one of nine men and two women from another gang – were arrested by the Kalachowkie police for picking people’s pockets during the Lalbaugcha Raja visarjan procession

Two gangs – one of nine men and two women from another gang – were arrested by the Kalachowkie police for picking people’s pockets during the Lalbaugcha Raja visarjan procession. The gangs stole people’s wallets and phones, the police said.

One gang came from Surat and the women were from Delhi. The police said both gangs used to visit festivals across the country that saw crowds like the Kumbh Mela in Nashik, the Ajmer fairs and several other smaller melas where they could steal people’s valuables. “The gang of nine had booked a Toyota Innova from Surat and had reached the city early on visarjan day. They booked rooms at a lodge in Nagpada and came to the procession dressed like devotees,” said senior police inspector Dilip Ugale of Kalachowkie police station. They mingled with the crowd, dancing and singing and deftly stole people’s mobile phones and wallets.

During the 10-day festival at Lalbaug, the Kalachowkie police registered around 118 cases of missing valuables.

Sub-inspector Somnath Deshmane from Kalachowkie police station said, “We have recovered six wallets from both gangs and around R4,000 in cash. We have got custody of till September 20.”

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