In a bizarre twist to an interstate crime, a gang of thieves from Maharashtra sought divine intervention at the revered Ram Temple in Ayodhya before executing a meticulously planned jewellery heist in Lucknow. The Lucknow Police, however, proved that earthly surveillance trumps celestial pleas, busting the gang and recovering stolen bangles worth a staggering Rs 6.61 lakh.
The Divine Detour Before the Crime
According to police details, the four accused arrived in Lucknow from Maharashtra by train and checked into a hotel near the Charbagh railway station. Their target was a popular jewellery showroom in the upscale Gomtinagar area. The gang conducted a thorough reconnaissance over more than a day, observing footfall, security protocols, and staff movements.
In an unusual prelude to the theft, the accused then travelled to Ayodhya. There, they visited the Ram Temple and offered prayers, apparently seeking blessings for their illicit mission. After the darshan of Ram Lalla, they returned to Lucknow on Tuesday morning, heading straight for the pre-identified showroom.
The Swift Heist and Meticulous Tracking
Dressed impeccably in suits and formal shoes to blend in as affluent customers, all four entered the store around 12:19 pm. While engaging staff and examining jewellery to avoid suspicion, two positioned themselves near a display counter. In a move executed within seconds, one swiftly opened the counter door and stole four diamond bangles before the group exited.
Following an FIR by the showroom manager, police teams launched an extensive investigation. They analysed a vast network of CCTV footage from the showroom, adjacent markets, roads, hotels, and railway stations. This digital trail meticulously charted the suspects' movements before and after the theft, including their hotel stay and escape route.
The Bust and Interrogation Revelations
Acting on a tip-off and using technical surveillance combined with ground-level tracking, the police laid a trap. On Sunday night, they arrested all four accused near the railway track close to Gwari Bridge.
The arrested individuals were identified as Badar Kumar (71), Shalum Chinchonkar (45), Pandurang Ganpat Pawar (75), and Mangesh Bhau Surve (33), all residents of Maharashtra. Police confirmed the recovery of all four stolen diamond bangles.
During interrogation, the gang revealed their modus operandi. Gomtinagar SHO BC Tiwari stated that the accused admitted to routinely targeting jewellery showrooms across states. Their strategy involved wearing formal attire to appear as wealthy clients, entering shops in pairs or individually at short intervals to distract staff, and exploiting those moments to steal valuables. They relied on speed, crowd distraction, and prior surveillance to escape before raising suspicion.
Police are now investigating the gang's potential involvement in similar high-value thefts in Maharashtra and other states, examining their travel history and hotel records to uncover previous targets.
