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Twelve gold chain snatching incidents were reported within an hour after a massive crowd gathered at the Mahalaxmi Race Course to witness the electrifying performance of American rapper Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus concert on November 19, the police said on Friday.
Chain snatchers took advantage of the massive crowd and chaotic pushing near the main stage where the rapper was singing, targeted the victims, and allegedly snatched the gold chains and pendants amounting to Rs 16.5 lakh.
“The Tardeo police have registered a case against unidentified people under Section 304 (snatching) based on the statement of the victims. The police have been checking the CCTV footage, camera installed near the entry gates, the stage area, and the surrounding lanes. No one has been arrested yet, but definitely, we will nab the culprit soon,” said senior inspector Savalaram Salgaonkar of the Tardeo police station.
The police suspect the thefts were carried out by a coordinated gang of chain snatchers who entered the crowded area during the show. They are interrogating a few people with previous criminal records, the officer added.
According to the police, one of the complainants, P Divecha, 18, who lives in Mumbai’s Kalbadevi, alleged the chainsnatching incident occurred around 7.30 pm, when the programme began. Soon, people started pushing each other to reach the front of the stage, and Divecha, too, went close to the stage to watch the performance, he told the police.
Suddenly, he realised that someone was snatching his gold chain, taking advantage of the crowd, and as he tried to look back, the accused vanished into the crowd.
“When Divecha reached the police station, he saw several others had experienced the same crime. The chain snatchings were part of a larger coordinated operation by the culprit. We have recorded statements of 12 individuals, aged between 18 and 24, and are residents of Mumbai, Surat, Bengaluru, and Kerala,” said an officer.
The police said gold chains, ranging from 10 grams to 24 grams, including two high-value pendants — a diamond Ganpati and a Sai Baba pendant — have reportedly been stolen at the concert.
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