Pune police restore hope by recovering stolen valuables worth nearly Rs 24 lakh. Five arrests and ongoing investigations aim to bring justice to affected devotees.
Pune, June 25, 2025 – In a heartening breakthrough, Pune’s Crime Branch has cracked down on a gang preying on devotees during the cherished Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi processions. The annual pilgrimage, drawing massive crowds, became a target for an inter-district and inter-state criminal network stealing mobile phones and snatching gold jewellery, especially from women. 1.Swift action by the police has brought relief to victims, with stolen goods worth Rs 23.91 lakh recovered.
The operation led to the arrest of five individuals involved in jewellery thefts, including four women—Chandani Shakti Kamble (32), Rita alias Ganga Namdev Kamble (35), Babita Suraj Upadhye (57), and 1.Pooja Dheeraj Kamble (35) from Udgir, Latur district—and one man, Ganesh Vilas Jadhav (30) from Byalgi, Akkalkot taluka. From them, police recovered 22.5 tolas (approximately 262 grams) of gold ornaments, including precious mangalsutras and necklaces valued at Rs 19.41 lakh, resolving two cases reported at Hadapsar and Loni Kalbhor police stations.
In a parallel effort, authorities apprehended Arbaaz Naushad Shaikh (19) from Jharkhand and a minor accomplice, recovering 14 stolen mobile phones worth Rs 4.5 lakh.  On June 20, as the Palkhi procession entered Pune, Vishrantwadi police detained 25 suspects, taking action against 18 while releasing seven minors to their parents.
The operations, guided by senior officials including Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar and Additional Commissioner Pankaj Deshmukh, reflect the dedication of Crime Branch Units V and VI. Teams led by inspectors like Wahid Pathan and Sanjay Patange worked tirelessly to restore stolen belongings and trust among the devotees. Police are now urging those who lost valuables during the procession to contact Hadapsar or Wanawadi police stations to reclaim their items, offering hope to affected families.
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