Pune Police Solve 13 Chain-Snatching Cases; Gold Jewellery Worth Rs 21.21 Lakh Recovered
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 17th October 2026: Faraskhana police have arrested a 34-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh and recovered gold jewellery, a mobile phone and other items worth ₹21.21 lakh, solving 13 cases of chain-snatching and mangalsutra theft.
Police identified the arrested accused as Vijaypal Kawar Sain, a resident of Islamapur Ghasoli in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh. Police said he and five alleged accomplices targeted devotees in crowded places, including during festivals and processions, and stole jewellery by cutting chains with tools.
Theft during Ganesh immersion procession
The case that led to the investigation was reported on September 25, 2026. At about 10.45 pm, complainant Sagar Prakash Komati and his friend Vikrant Shinde were watching a Ganesh immersion procession near Belbag Chowk, on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Road in Pune’s Budhwar Chowk area.
According to DCP (Zone 1) Krushikesh Rawale, one person from a group of six took a Samsung mobile phone from Komati’s trouser pocket, while the others surrounded and assaulted him. The group threatened him with a knife and used an iron cutter to remove a gold chain from his neck. The chain weighed 38.320 grams and was valued at ₹1,21,476; the phone was valued at ₹25,000. The total loss reported in that incident was ₹1,46,476.
Investigation and recovery
Senior Police Inspector Sandeep Deshmane, who is in charge of Faraskhana police station, said police head constable Gajanan Sonune and constable Chetan Holkar received confidential information that the accused belonged to a gang from Shamli district. After Vijaypal Kawar Sain was detained and questioned, he admitted to the case and to the involvement of five other associates in this and other offences.
A team travelled to Uttar Pradesh and recovered 139.720 grams of gold jewellery, the mobile phone reported stolen from Komati, a sharp knife and an iron cutter.
“The total value of the seized property is ₹21,21,100. The investigation solved the case registered in Pune and 12 other cases, for a total of 13 chain-snatching and mangalsutra-theft cases”, DCP Rawale said.
The investigation was conducted under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Bansode, DCP Krushikesh Rawale, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sachin Hire of the Faraskhana division.
The team included Senior Police Inspector Sandeep Deshmane, Police Inspectors Shivprakash Mule and Rajesh Mahala, Assistant Police Inspector Anil Surwase, Sub-Inspector Rajendra Patole and personnel Gajanan Sonune, Nitin Telange, Irfan Momin, Amol Awad, Chetan Holkar, Nitin Jadhav, Shrikant Waghavle, Ajim Shaikh, Pravin Pasalkar, Vishal Shinde, Mahesh Rathod, Sumit Khutte, Dnyaneshwar Panchal, Prashant Palande, Mahesh Pawar, Rajat Rajeshike and Avinash Darwade.
