Four women held for robbing 70-year-old on Maharashtra ST bus in Washim
Synopsis
Four women allegedly robbed a 70-year-old commuter of gold jewellery and cash on a moving ST bus in Maharashtra's Washim district — only to be chased down and arrested after fellow passengers raised the alarm. All stolen items were recovered and returned to the victim.
Key Takeaways
Four women were arrested in Washim, Maharashtra for allegedly stealing from a 70-year-old passenger, Chandrakala Bodkhe , on an ST bus.
The stolen items — gold jewellery worth ₹1.5 lakh and ₹28,000 cash — were fully recovered and returned to the victim.
The theft occurred on a bus travelling from Mangrulpir to Akola ; the accused fled at Shelu Bazaar in an auto-rickshaw before being apprehended.
In a separate Pune case, three men from Haryana were arrested across nine theft cases , with valuables worth ₹23 lakh seized after a 4,600-km cross-state pursuit.
Both incidents highlight the targeting of elderly passengers and festival crowds on Maharashtra's public transport network.
Four women were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly stealing gold jewellery worth ₹1.5 lakh and ₹28,000 in cash from a 70-year-old passenger aboard a state transport (ST) bus in Washim district, Maharashtra. Police recovered all stolen items and returned them to the victim, identified as Chandrakala Bodkhe.
How the Theft Unfolded
The incident occurred on an ST bus travelling from Mangrulpir to Akola. According to police, the four accused allegedly targeted Bodkhe's bag — which contained the gold jewellery and cash — during the journey. The theft went undetected until the bus reached Shelu Bazaar, where all four women alighted.
Fellow passengers grew suspicious of the women's sudden departure. Alerted by their concern, Bodkhe checked her bag and found her jewellery and cash missing. She raised an alarm and sought assistance from those around her.
Swift Police Action
Local police rushed to the scene after receiving word of the incident and launched an immediate investigation. Officers established that the four suspects had fled the area in an auto-rickshaw. Acting on this lead, the police pursued the women and apprehended all four before they could leave the area. The stolen gold jewellery and cash were recovered from their possession and handed back to Bodkhe.
A Pattern of Targeted Theft on Public Transport
The Washim case is part of a broader pattern of theft incidents targeting elderly passengers on crowded public transport in Maharashtra. Notably, in a separate case, Pune Police arrested three men from Haryana in connection with nine theft cases reported in the city, recovering valuables worth approximately ₹23 lakh. That investigation involved police travelling nearly 4,600 km across multiple states to track the suspects.
According to police, those accused had specifically targeted people at crowded locations during Ganeshotsav celebrations and Ganesh immersion processions. The suspects — identified as Ajay Samsher Vinodkumar Rupsingh Koli (20), Aman Samsher Anil Kumar Narayansingh Koli (24), and Deepak Samsher Rajubhai Sapsingh (21), all residents of Palwal, Haryana — were initially arrested by Aravalli Police in Gujarat before being taken into custody by a Pune Police team.
Safety Advisory for Passengers
Both cases underscore the heightened vulnerability of elderly commuters carrying valuables on crowded public buses and at large public gatherings. Police have informally urged passengers to remain vigilant and avoid displaying valuables in transit. The Washim case is under further investigation.
Point of View
Separated by geography but united by method, point to an organised criminal pattern: small groups targeting elderly or distracted passengers in crowded, transient spaces where discovery is delayed. The Washim arrest was resolved quickly thanks to alert co-passengers — a reminder that public vigilance remains the first line of defence where policing coverage is thin. The Pune case, requiring a 4,600-km pursuit across states, exposes how easily intra-state theft networks exploit jurisdictional gaps. Maharashtra Police's coordination with Gujarat in that instance is commendable, but it also raises a systemic question: should transit-route theft be tracked as an organised crime category with dedicated inter-state units, rather than handled case-by-case at the local level?
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on the Maharashtra ST bus in Washim?
Four women allegedly stole gold jewellery worth ₹1.5 lakh and ₹28,000 in cash from a 70-year-old passenger, Chandrakala Bodkhe, on an ST bus travelling from Mangrulpir to Akola. The theft was discovered when the suspects got off at Shelu Bazaar and Bodkhe found her bag empty.
Were the stolen jewellery and cash recovered?
Yes, police recovered all the stolen gold jewellery and cash from the four accused women and returned them to Chandrakala Bodkhe. The recovery was made shortly after the arrest.
How did the police catch the four women?
After receiving information about the theft, local police established that the accused had left the area in an auto-rickshaw. They pursued the suspects and apprehended all four women before they could escape further.
Who is Chandrakala Bodkhe?
Chandrakala Bodkhe is the 70-year-old victim who was travelling on the Mangrulpir-to-Akola ST bus when her bag containing gold jewellery and cash was allegedly stolen by the four accused women.
Is this part of a wider theft pattern in Maharashtra?
Yes. In a separate incident, Pune Police arrested three men from Haryana linked to nine city theft cases, recovering valuables worth approximately ₹23 lakh. Those accused had targeted people at Ganeshotsav gatherings, suggesting organised groups exploit crowded public spaces across Maharashtra.
