MUMBAI: At the very least 13 individuals reported shedding their gold chains, money, and different valuables amounting to ₹12.4 lakh in the course of the grand oath-taking ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis who was sworn in because the chief minister of Maharashtra at Azad Maidan on Thursday.
The occasion was attended by over 50,000 individuals, together with a number of celebrities and high-ranking dignitaries.
The police revealed that quite a few attendees approached them with complaints of theft, with 13 FIRs registered to date beneath part 303(2) (theft) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Many victims reported shedding gold chains, purses, and substantial sums of cash within the chaos. “Extra complaints are coming in and we’re actively investigating and have begun reviewing CCTV footage to establish the perpetrators,” mentioned an officer from Azad Maidan police station.
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Among the many victims was 64-year-old Kandivali resident Shivaji Gawali, who attended the occasion with mates. “As I used to be leaving by gate no. 2 round 6:30 pm, the world was extraordinarily crowded. Once I stepped outdoors, I observed my 30-gram gold chain was lacking. After looking out and soliciting for some time, I realised somebody had stolen it,” he mentioned.
Related incidents have been reported by others, together with Jaydevi Upadhyay, 50, from Andheri, who misplaced her 20-gram gold chain. Santosh Lachke, 61, from Fort, whose 17-gram gold chain was snatched. Vilas Chavan, 72, from Charkop, who reported his 20-gram chain stolen. Mohan Kamat, 70, from Dadar, who misplaced a 35-gram gold chain.
Money thefts have been additionally reported. Anant Koli, 47, from Vile Parle misplaced ₹20,000 in money, whereas Nitin Kale, 26, from Solapur had ₹57,000 stolen from his bag in the course of the rush.
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The ceremony was graced by distinguished personalities, together with actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh, in addition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and different dignitaries. Nonetheless, the large gathering turned a simple goal for thieves, who exploited the crowded situations to hold out the thefts.
The police famous a worrying pattern of thieves focusing on crowded public occasions like music concert events, festivals, and political rallies. “Even some policemen deployed for bandobast obligation reported shedding their baggage, which they’d saved in a nook at Azad Maidan,” the officer added.
Efforts are underway to establish the suspects and get well the stolen objects. The police urged the general public to train warning and safe their belongings in crowded areas.
