Ujjain: Troubled over growing incidents of theft in the ongoing Simhastha (Kumbh) Mela in Ujjain, police on Thursday launched a drive and busted a gang of thieves, arresting 86 people including those in garb of 'sadhus' and recovered large sum of money, valuables and mobile phones from their possession.

After enhancing vigil in the Mela area following a flurry of theft complaints including from Akhara Parishad, police first caught a man stealing a trouser of a devotee in the garb of a sadhu (saint), Additional SP, Aditya Pratap Singh said.