Pune, 9th September 2025: Two men from Malegaon, Nashik, were arrested by Pune’s Faraskhana police after being caught stealing mobile phones during the Ganesh visarjan procession. The arrests came amid heavy crowds gathered for the immersion celebrations in central Pune.

The thefts were reported from busy spots such as Belbaug Chowk, Laxmi Road, and Budhwar Peth in the early hours of Saturday. Several devotees complained of missing phones, prompting police to launch an immediate investigation.

A special team, formed under the guidance of Senior Police Inspector Prashant Bhasme, acted on a tip-off and detained two suspects near Pasodya Vitthal Mandir. The accused were identified as Aleem Mustaq Sheikh (26) and Attar Ahmed Ejaz Ahmed (25), both residents of Malegaon.

Police recovered 13 high-end mobile phones from their possession, valued at around ₹1.78 lakh. The phones belonged to different companies and were stolen from unsuspecting devotees in the visarjan crowd.

Assistant Police Inspector Mehboob Mokashi and his team led the operation, supported by officers Tanaji Nangre, Nitin Telange, Gajanan Sonune, Mahesh Pawar, and Chetan Holkar. Senior officers, including Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Bansode and Deputy Commissioner Krishikesh Rawle, commended the swift action.