Mumbai Crime: Chain Snatcher Arrested Within 24 Hours in Masjid Bunder, Stolen Gold Chain Recovered

In a prompt and coordinated action, the L T Marg Police successfully cracked a chain-snatching case within just 24 hours, leading to the arrest of the accused from the Masjid Bunder area. The accused has been identified as 21-year-old Murtuza Ali Shabbir Hussain. The swift response by the police ensured that the suspect was tracked down quickly after the crime, reflecting efficiency in handling street-level offences. Officials confirmed that the arrest was made following a combination of surveillance inputs and field investigation, highlighting the department’s proactive approach towards maintaining law and order in the city.

The case came to light after a complaint was lodged by 75-year-old Shakuntala Dattaram Temkar, a resident of Chirabazar. She has been employed for the past year at a garment unit in Prabhadevi, where her work involves buttoning and trimming threads. Temkar travels daily between Prabhadevi and Marine Lines for her job. On March 20, at around 7:34 pm, she was returning home on foot after alighting at Marine Lines railway station when the incident took place, catching her off guard during her routine commute.

According to police officials, an unidentified individual approached the elderly woman from behind and forcefully snatched her gold chain, which weighed approximately 13 grams. In the process of the theft, the chain snapped, causing a portion weighing around 4 grams to fall at the spot. The accused managed to flee with the remaining 9 grams of the chain. Following the incident, an FIR was registered at the L T Marg Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and an investigation was immediately initiated.

Police teams relied on a mix of technical tools and conventional investigation techniques to trace the accused. By analysing available leads and conducting ground-level inquiries, they were able to identify the suspect and track his movements. Eventually, the accused was located and apprehended from the Masjid Bunder area. Authorities confirmed that the operation was carried out swiftly and efficiently, ensuring that the accused was taken into custody without delay.

The arrested individual, identified as Murtuza Ali Shabbir Hussain, works as a labourer and resides in Masjid Bunder. Officials stated that he does not have any previous criminal record. The police have also managed to recover the stolen portion of the gold chain, weighing 9 grams, from his possession. The successful detection of the case was led by Senior Police Inspector Ajay Ghosalkar along with his team and support staff from the L T Marg Police Station, with additional technical assistance provided by the concerned unit.

Senior police officials have commended the team for their rapid response and effective investigation, which led to the case being solved within a day. Their efforts ensured that the accused was quickly brought to justice and the stolen property was recovered. Authorities have stated that further investigation is ongoing to verify if the accused was involved in any other similar offences.