Friday, 17 MAY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Chamoli police arrested a gang of eight people for stealing and duping pilgrims in Badrinath. The gang members who belong to the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh, visit religious places across the country throughout the year to steal the valuables of pilgrims. They were also stealing the belongings of the pilgrims and travellers coming to the Badrinath shrine by distracting them while they were taking a bath at the river bank or going for darshan. The police recovered more than Rs one lakh cash, several mobile phones and wallets, the Chamoli superintendent of police Sarvesh Panwar said. He said that the police personnel deployed in Badrinath shrine to maintain law and order were directed to keep an eye on miscreants who can often steal valuable items from pilgrims by taking advantage of crowds or when they are distracted. The police recently received information about a gang which had been stealing people’s belongings in Badrinath for the past few days. Considering this, the police started investigating the matter and arrested eight gang members late on Wednesday. Panwar said that it was revealed during the investigation that Dalip Kumar (35) and Murali (28) were the leaders of the gang who used to go to big religious places across the country throughout the year to steal pilgrims’ and tourists’ belongings like jewellery, mobile phones and cash. They used to book Dharamshalas to target the victims easily. They used to divide the stolen goods and money among themselves and return to their respective villages in UP, the SP added.
