Bhubaneswar, Jul 18: In a major crackdown on organised crime, Odisha Police on Friday arrested 21 members of two separate inter-state gangs allegedly involved in stealing and snatching mobile phones and other valuables from commuters in Bhubaneswar and devotees attending the ongoing Rath Yatra in Puri.The police recovered more than 40 stolen mobile phones, along with an SUV, during the operation.In Bhubaneswar, the Commissionerate Police arrested eight women from Maharashtra for allegedly stealing mobile phones, cash, and other valuables from passengers travelling on city buses over the past several months.Acting on a tip-off, a special police patrol under the Nayapalli police station received information that a group of Hindi-speaking women at the CRP Square bus stop were trying to sell mobile phones at unusually low prices. Police rushed to the spot, detained the women after finding their activities suspicious, and later recovered several stolen mobile phones from them.During interrogation, the accused allegedly admitted that the phones had been stolen or snatched from different parts of Bhubaneswar.In a separate operation, Puri Police arrested 13 members of an inter-state gang accused of targeting devotees during the ongoing Rath Yatra.The arrests followed a complaint by 20-year-old pilgrim Omm Umesh Tatkar from Maharashtra, who was allegedly assaulted and robbed of his mobile phone near Light House Chowk around 11 a.m. on Thursday while returning to his hotel after participating in the chariot festival.Police investigations revealed that the gang had travelled to Puri specifically to exploit the massive Rath Yatra crowds. The group consisted of 11 members from West Bengal, one from Bihar, and one from Jharkhand, and is believed to be part of an organised syndicate that operates at crowded religious gatherings across different states.The Baliapanda Police recovered 42 stolen mobile phones and one SUV from the accused during the operation.In a related development, officers from the Sea Beach Police Station arrested three more suspects—two from West Bengal and one from Uttar Pradesh—for allegedly snatching a mobile phone on Thursday. Police recovered four mobile phones from the trio.Police have urged tourists and devotees visiting Puri during the Rath Yatra to remain vigilant, safeguard their belongings, and immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police personnel.
21 members of two Inter-State theft gangs arrested in Bhubaneswar and Puri
