Devotees, many of them youngsters, had their phones snatched while wading through the sea of people near Hindustani Masjid on N.M. Joshi Marg, in Byculla, between 9 pm and 11 pm
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After Kalachowki police reported a spate of missing phone cases, Agripada police station has now registered four FIRs detailing the theft of 70 mobile phones worth Rs 12.23 lakh during the September 6 immersion procession of Lalbaugcha Raja.
Devotees, many of them youngsters, had their phones snatched while wading through the sea of people near Hindustani Masjid on N.M. Joshi Marg, in Byculla, between 9 pm and 11 pm. Despite keeping the devices zipped inside pockets or bags, professional gangs struck with precision in the dense crowd.
The haul included high-value smartphones—iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo, Redmi, and Motorola handsets—with victims reporting losses ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 25,000 each. All FIRs were registered on Thursday night.
Police sources said the operation bore the clear markings of well-organised pickpocket gangs who exploit the chaotic immersion processions each year to make away with lakhs worth of gadgets in just a couple of hours.
An officer from Agripada police station admitted, “Mobile thefts during Ganpati immersions are now a recurring crime. While we’ve registered cases under Section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the challenge is to trace the devices quickly before they are dismantled or shipped out. Investigations are underway.”
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