Muzaffarnagar: A jewellery theft incident during a Shrimad Bhagwat Katha at Reshu Prangan on Circular Road in Muzaffarnagar has raised concerns over security arrangements at the religious gathering. Gold chains and diamond pendants belonging to three women were reportedly stolen amid the crowd, triggering panic among devotees and organisers.
Following the incident, attendees caught five women on suspicion and handed them over to the police. The women are being questioned as investigators work to establish their possible involvement in the theft.
How Did the Jewellery Theft Take Place?
Rajbala Goyal, who had travelled from Ghaziabad to attend the religious programme scheduled from November 13 to 20, said she was standing in a queue to collect food during the distribution when a woman standing behind her placed a hand on her shoulder and moved her plate forward.
Although the incident initially made her suspicious, she could not understand what had happened at the time. Later, when she checked her neck, she discovered that her one-tola gold chain and a diamond pendant weighing approximately one tola were missing.
In another incident, Meera Agrawal, who had arrived from Aligarh, reportedly lost a gold chain weighing around one-and-a-half tolas along with a heavy diamond pendant.
Similarly, Reena, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, found her gold chain weighing approximately two-and-a-half tolas and its locket missing.
The three theft incidents created panic at the venue, prompting devotees and organisers to search for the suspected persons.
Five Suspected Women Handed Over to Police
People present at the venue began looking for suspicious individuals and detained five women on suspicion of involvement in the incidents. Following information about the matter, Civil Lines police personnel and women police officers reached the spot.
City Circle Officer Siddharth Kumar Mishra also visited the venue and gathered details about the incident. The detained women were questioned, during which they reportedly gave different city addresses.
Police subsequently took all five women to the police station for further questioning. Investigators are working to recover the stolen jewellery and determine the role, if any, of the detained women in the incidents.
Victims Raise Questions Over Security Arrangements
The affected women have also raised concerns over security arrangements at the religious programme. They pointed out that large numbers of devotees were attending the Bhagwat Katha and Kalash Yatra, but adequate CCTV surveillance and security arrangements were apparently not visible at the venue.
Police are examining all aspects of the case, including the circumstances surrounding the thefts and the possible involvement of the detained suspects.
Reported by: Rohit
