Alipurduar: The Alipurduar district police have arrested 18 members of a women-led snatching gang from Bandel that operated across Bengal, targeting crowded religious and cultural gatherings. The gang, mostly middle-aged women, would blend into large gatherings disguised as ordinary devotees before stealing gold chains, wallets, and other valuables.
The arrests followed an incident on Sunday, when nearly one lakh people had gathered at a religious event at the Parade Ground in Alipurduar town. Around noon, several women reported missing gold chains, while others complained of stolen wallets. Acting swiftly, the police detained three women from the spot. Based on information obtained during questioning, raids were conducted across different areas of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts, leading to the arrest of 15 more gang members.
According to police sources, the gang has been active for years, using carefully practised techniques to snatch valuables without drawing attention. “They mainly target women wearing expensive jewellery. The group surrounds a target and uses specific methods to remove chains in seconds,” an officer said. Alipurduar Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Srinivas MP said: “All 18 arrested individuals will be produced in court, and we will seek their remand. For the sake of the investigation, their identities are not being disclosed. The district police successfully completed the operation within just 12 hours.”
Of the 18 arrested, 14 are women and four are men. Two women are aged between 20 and 22. All are residents of Bandel under the Chandannagar Commissionerate in Hooghly district. Police recovered two gold chains, Rs 1,28,000 in cash, and two expensive four-wheelers. A case has been registered at Alipurduar Police Station (Case No. 514/25, Section 303(2) BNS).