Thieves made merry at Sri Sri's festival; 70 FIRs filed, 30 held

Gangs from across the country targeted visitors at three-day World Culture Festival in the New Delhi amid high security and made away with valuable articles like laptops, jewellery and cash, leading to at least 70 FIRs and the police apprehending about 30 persons.

Of the gangs busted, some were found to have come from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Also, many of the gang members were women. It has come to light that their arrival at the event was well-planned, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Police registered around 70 FIRs under IPC section 379 (theft) and a few under section 392 (robbery) which is applied in cases of chain snatching, the official said.

The gangs targeted not only visitors, including several from foreign nations, but also the makeshift stalls which were set up inside the premises.

While about 20 cases were reported on the day of inauguration, which was done by the prime minister, the highest were reported on Sunday (day three), the official said.

Almost all the 30 persons apprehended were nabbed from the venue itself. Some of them were also held by visitors and handed over to police officials present at the spot.

One such case was of a foreign national whose mobile phone was allegedly fished out of his pocket.

Some of the pickpocket gangs comprised only women, of which the police apprehended a few, the official added.

There was heavy security arrangement, involving deployment of about 12,000 police personnel, for the cultural extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation at the Yamuna floodplains.

Apart from local police and personnel from Security Unit, specialised units like that of PM Security, Intelligence, Special Cell, Crime Branch and Economic Offences Wing were also roped in and a separate control room was set up.

Image: Russian artists perform during the World Culture Festival on the banks of Yamuna River. Photograph: PTI Photo