A shocking incident of theft has come to light in Bhandup where an unidentified person broke into three rooms occupied by members of the transgender community and stole valuables worth over Rs 7 lakh, including gold ornaments and cash. Bhandup Police have registered a case of burglary and launched a manhunt to trace the accused using CCTV footage from the area.
The complainant, a 33-year-old transgender woman, resides with her friend in a chawl on Dargah Road, Sonapur, Bhandup. The chawl houses nine rooms with a total of 17 transgender individuals living there. On Tuesday, April 29, the complainant and her friend had gone to the Teen Haat Naka area near in Thane for alms. During their absence, the rooms were left unattended.
When they returned around 4 PM, they discovered that the lock on their door had been broken. Upon entering, they found the metal cupboard ransacked. A detailed check revealed that gold jewellery worth Rs 25,000 and approximately Rs 5.5 lakh in collective savings from a local Bisi (group savings scheme) fund belonging to 55 transgender persons had been stolen. The total loss was estimated at Rs 7.05 lakh.
Additionally, cash worth Rs 60,000 and Rs 70,000 was stolen from the rooms of two other transgender women, bringing the combined stolen amount to over Rs 8.35 lakh. The burglar is believed to have taken advantage of the empty rooms to commit the crime and flee the scene.
Following the incident, the victim approached the Bhandup Police Station and filed a complaint. Based on her statement, the police have registered a case against an unknown accused. CCTV footage from the surrounding area has been seized, and efforts are underway to identify and arrest the perpetrator.
The burglary, which came to light on Wednesday, has created a sense of fear and insecurity among the residents of the locality.