On Saturday, Bhubaneswar city police arrested five members of an inter-state gang involved in snatching and stealing high-end mobile phones. The gang, originating from Jharkhand, operated across multiple neighboring states, targeting individuals in crowded public areas.
The accused have been identified as Md Jamal Shekh (25), Shiv Kumar Mahato (32), Amarnatha Mahato (33), and two juveniles, all residents of Nichetola village in Sahibganj district, Jharkhand. Their arrest followed an investigation triggered by a complaint on Thursday, when a victim reported his mobile phone was snatched near Unit I Market’s main gate.
Police used CCTV footage and technical tracking to trace the stolen phones to the Master Canteen area, where the devices were switched off. Intelligence reports indicated outsider gang involvement during festival times, prompting a targeted raid by a Capital police team near the railway station.
“During the operation, we arrested the five accused and recovered 60 mobile phones of various brands. They admitted to stealing phones from locations such as bus stands, vegetable markets, railway stations, and other parts of Bhubaneswar,” said DCP Jagmohan Meena. “Their method was to steal phones in one state and quickly send them to other states to avoid detection.”
The accused were presented before the court, which denied their bail requests and remanded them to judicial custody. Police continue investigations into the gang’s wider network and efforts to recover more stolen goods.
