Patna: Bihar Police have busted an alleged inter-state gang of women accused of stealing gold chains, purses, mobile phones and cash from crowded places during the Navratri and other festival seasons.
The Nagar police station team arrested 15 women during a raid in the Railway Station Road area of Muzaffarpur on October 16.
According to the police, 11 of the arrested women are from Uttar Pradesh, while the remaining four are residents of Siwan district in Bihar.
Cash, gold jewellery and mobile phones were recovered from their possession.
City SP Mohibullah Ansari shared details of the operation during a press conference on Saturday.
He said the police had intensified surveillance across the city to prevent chain-snatching and thefts during the festive season.
On October 16, the Nagar police received a tip-off that a group of women from outside the state was planning to carry out thefts in Muzaffarpur, targeting gold chains, mobile phones and purses.
Acting on the information, a police team conducted a raid and apprehended the 15 women.
According to the police, the gang members allegedly targeted fairs, religious gatherings and crowded public places during festivals such as Durga Puja.
The women would reportedly surround unsuspecting women and devotees before stealing gold chains and other jewellery when they found an opportunity.
They also allegedly targeted purses, mobile phones and cash, carrying out the thefts discreetly to avoid attracting attention.
The arrested women include individuals from the Gorakhpur, Deoria and Azamgarh districts of Uttar Pradesh, along with four women from the Bhagwanpur area of Siwan district in Bihar.
During the operation, police recovered Rs 16,800 in cash, three gold lockets, earrings and mobile phones from the arrested women.
Initial reports differ on the exact number of mobile phones recovered.
The police are now investigating the accused women’s criminal records and their possible involvement in thefts reported in other parts of the Muzaffarpur district.
City SP Mohibullah Ansari said the arrested women were being interrogated to determine their involvement in incidents reported under various police station jurisdictions.
Investigators are also trying to establish who brought the women to Muzaffarpur, who provided them with accommodation or assistance, and whether additional members of the alleged gang are operating in the city.
Police are working to identify the alleged gang leader and establish whether the group was involved in other theft cases across the region.
With festivals drawing large crowds to markets, fairs and religious venues, the police have prioritised efforts to curb chain-snatching and pickpocketing. The investigation is continuing, and further details are awaited.
–IANS–
