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AIIMS Bhopal employee robbed of mangalsutra inside hospital lift, video captures snatching

Police say CCTV footage being scanned to find the accused, who appears to have fled through the IPD gate

3 min readBhopalUpdated: Jan 27, 2026 06:37 PM IST

When the lift reached the third floor and the doors opened, the man stepped out first and waited near the entrance. (Special Arrangement)

A woman employee of AIIMS Bhopal was robbed of her mangalsutra inside a hospital lift on Sunday evening, in an incident captured on CCTV that prompted outrage over gaps in security at the premier medical institute. The crime occurred inside a lift located behind the blood bank building and came to light on Monday after hospital authorities and police accessed the footage.

The woman, an attendant posted in the gynaecology department, was on duty and entered the lift alone to go to another floor. CCTV footage shows a young man wearing a mask and a cap approach the lift and first check whether anyone else was inside. After confirming that the woman was alone, he entered. “During the ascent, the man is seen repeatedly looking around and observing the woman before initiating a brief conversation and asking her about the location of the ophthalmology department,” said a senior police officer.

When the lift reached the third floor and the doors opened, the man stepped out first and waited near the entrance. As the woman moved forward to exit, he suddenly turned back, grabbed her near the neck, and forcefully snatched her mangalsutra. She resisted, but the man pushed her aside and ran towards the staircase. In the struggle, the accused escaped with the mangalsutra.

While incidents of petty theft have been reported earlier on the AIIMS Bhopal campus, this is the first known case of chain snatching inside a hospital lift.

There was no security guard posted near the lift or in the immediate vicinity at the time of the incident, police said. After the robbery, the woman remained near the lift area crying for nearly 10 minutes until a security guard arrived during routine rounds and informed senior officials.

Additional Superintendent of Police Gautam Solanki told The Indian Express, “We have apprehended several persons in this case. The hospital had its own guards, but still the accused managed to pull this off. We believe he may also have been a staffer or previously worked there.”

The incident occurred on a Sunday, when patient footfall inside the hospital was low. Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused exited the campus through the IPD gate.

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The victim later submitted a written complaint at the Bagsewania police station. Police said CCTV footage from inside the lift and surrounding areas is being examined to identify and trace the accused.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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