Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
As gold prices rise daily, incidents of elderly women being robbed in broad daylight have also increased in the city. On February 13, within just one hour, three women were looted of gold chains totaling four tolas. Earlier that morning, elderly citizens were targeted under the pretense of offering help, with both cash and jewelry stolen. Last year, over 80 cases of gold chain theft were reported. This year, the spree has begun, yet the local police and crime branch have not solved any of these cases.
Incident 1: 61-year-old Shobha Pujari, residing in Vitkheda, was walking with her friend Madhuri Vaidya near the back of Agrasen School on Paithan Road at 6 p.m. when two motorcyclists approached from behind. The passenger snatched her one-and-a-half tola gold chain and sped away. Both assailants wore white shirts and black pants; the rider’s face was covered by a helmet, while the passenger tied a handkerchief over his face. Despite spending time scouting the area for women wearing jewelry, no local residents suspected them. The Satara Police Station registered a case.
Incident 2: Jawaharnagar has seen a series of gold chain thefts over the past four years. On the same day at 5:40 p.m., 78-year-old retired teacher Mina Deshmukh (resident of Ranjitnagar, Kalda Corner) was walking when a man asked for directions and then snatched her one-tola gold chain.
Incident 3: At 7 pm, Priyanka Yadav was returning home from SIDCO, Waluj, with her daughter when two motorcyclists attacked them at a junction. They threw the girl to the ground and snatched Priyanka’s 16-gram gold chain before fleeing.
Incident 4: 65-year-old Girija Rokade (resident of Sarola) was targeted around 11 a.m. near Maitreya Buddhist Vihar. Two men approached her, pretending to be distributing sarees and cash to the poor. They instructed her to remove and hand over her jewelry and cash, claiming it was necessary to receive the donation. Girija tied her gold chain, earrings, and cash of Rs 7,500 in a handkerchief, which the men then took and ran away. She realized the fraud only after opening the handkerchief a short time later.