Davanagere: Davangere police recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 51 lakh from members of the Band Baaja gang after they allegedly stole gold worth Rs 67 lakh from a private resort here during a wedding reception. The gang originates from the Madhya Pradesh districts of Hulikhad, Kedia, and Jhansi, and uses minors to carry out thefts under the cover of wedding events.Superintendent of police Uma Prashanth said a case related to the theft was registered on Novr 14. A wedding reception was taking place at a private resort here. During the celebration, a child was dancing, and the complainant’s mother placed a bag containing gold jewellery on the ground to clap. When she looked again, the bag was missing. Despite searching the entire resort, there was no clue as to where it went. “We then reviewed CCTV and toll records. Our team suspected the Sisodia gang from Madhya Pradesh was involved in the theft, and went there,” she said.The SP further said that a sub-inspector and staff stayed there for about 15 days. Later, they discovered that the Band Baaja gang was involved in the crime. These individuals are located in Hulikhad, Kedia, and Jhansi in Madhya Pradesh. They employ minors for theft, as they receive lighter punishments under the law. They steal when the victim’s attention is diverted and then flee. “The village of the suspects falls under the jurisdiction of the Buda police station in Pachauri taluk, Madhya Pradesh. Our team went there, raided their house, and recovered 524g of gold,” she added.This gang attends wealthy wedding events across the country. They observe the women there, and steal when their attention is diverted. They dress like other guests, so no one suspects them. Once attention is diverted, they steal and escape. Sometimes, they change routes to mislead police. They don’t leave immediately, but wait seven to eight hours before departing, leaving no evidence behind and avoiding tollbooths. “Despite these challenges, our team did an excellent job over 15 days. Therefore, DSP Basavaraj, inspector Annayya, and staff member Prabhu deserve commendation for their work,” SP Uma Prashant stated.
