It was a field day for mobile and chain snatchers, as well as pickpockets, near Azad Maidan, where nearly 75,000 people gathered to witness the oath-taking ceremony of BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as the chief minister on Thursday evening. 

Under the pretext of witnessing the political event, these anti-social elements mingled with the large crowd and snatched valuables. In one incident, an accused even targeted a policeman, but the cop—who was in civilian clothes—caught him after a dramatic chase through the crowd, retrieved his cell phone, and handed him over to his counterparts for further action.