Pune, 13th July 2026: Thousands of devotees gathered across Pune on Saturday for the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj and Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi processions. Amid the heavy rush, several incidents of theft were reported, with gold jewellery and mobile phones worth lakhs of rupees stolen from devotees at different locations in the city.
Police have registered separate cases at multiple police stations and are investigating the incidents.
The biggest theft was reported from Gadital in Hadapsar, where a group of women had gathered for darshan of the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Palkhi. Around 9.15 am, thieves allegedly stole gold jewellery weighing 89 grams and worth ₹3.56 lakh from ten women devotees. A case has been registered at Hadapsar Police Station.
Several similar incidents were reported during the day. A 51-year-old woman from Undri lost her 2.5-tola gold mangalsutra worth ₹1.10 lakh while taking darshan near the Palkhi Vitthoba Temple in Bhawani Peth. Police later detained a 55-year-old woman in connection with the theft, and further investigation is underway.
In another incident, a woman travelling through Lokmanya Nagar on July 10 was robbed of her 2.5-tola gold mangalsutra by a chain snatcher. Vishrambaug Police have registered a case.
A social worker from Manjari Budruk also lost gold jewellery worth ₹90,000 while taking darshan of the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi at Kumar Meadows Chowk in Shewalewadi. Another woman from Chikhali reported that her gold mangalsutra was stolen while walking towards the Palkhi procession near Patil Estate in Shivajinagar.
In a separate incident near Shankar Math on Solapur Road, a 60-year-old devotee from Aundh noticed that his iPhone had been stolen from his trouser pocket while standing in the crowd for darshan.
Plainclothes police personnel immediately chased the suspects and caught three men before they could escape. The accused have been identified as Tejas Gunjal from Indiranagar, Tipendra Mhetre from Bhawani Peth and Shivdarshan Mahato from Jharkhand. Police recovered the stolen iPhone and have initiated further legal action.