Ganesh Visarjan 2026: 18 arrested, 192 mobile theft complaints in Mumbai
Synopsis
As millions thronged Mumbai streets for Ganesh Visarjan, organised pickpocketing gangs — including members from outside Maharashtra — turned the Lalbaugcha Raja procession into a hunting ground. With 18 arrests, 192 mobile theft complaints, and CCTV from over 100 cameras under scrutiny, the scale of coordinated festive-season crime has put Mumbai Police on high alert.
Key Takeaways
Mumbai Police arrested 18 people — including two women and one minor — in connection with thefts during Ganesh Visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi .
Police received more than 200 complaints and registered official cases covering 192 lost or stolen mobile phones , with 10 cases filed for theft of phones and gold chains.
So far, 14 smartphones and 7 gold chains have been recovered from the arrested accused.
Organised gangs — some allegedly from outside Maharashtra — targeted crowds at Lalbaug , Parel , and Girgaon Chowpatty , particularly the Lalbaugcha Raja procession.
Footage from over 100 CCTV cameras is being examined; the Mumbai Police Cyber Cell is using the CEIR portal to trace stolen handsets via IMEI numbers .
Organised pickpocketing gangs exploited the massive Ganesh Visarjan crowds in Mumbai on Anant Chaturdashi, stealing mobile phones and gold jewellery from devotees across the city. Mumbai Police have arrested 18 accused — including two women and one minor — and registered official complaints covering 192 lost or stolen mobile phones, with 10 separate cases filed for theft of mobile phones and gold chains.
Scale of the Thefts
More than 200 complaints related to lost and stolen mobile phones were received at various police stations during the celebrations. Devotees reported handsets swiped from their pockets, gold chains snatched from their necks, and women's purses lifted during the crush of processions. Preliminary investigations indicate the involvement of organised gangs, with women and minors allegedly deployed to carry out some of the crimes.
Two women were reportedly caught red-handed with stolen belongings while attempting to steal purses during the immersion procession — also known as the Mirvanuk. Police have so far recovered 14 smartphones and seven gold chains from the arrested accused.
Where It Happened
Millions of devotees had gathered in Lalbaug, Parel, and Girgaon Chowpatty to bid farewell to Lord Ganesha. Police said the gangs — comprising both local members and suspects from outside Maharashtra — particularly targeted the immersion procession of the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja in central Mumbai, one of the most densely crowded stretches of the entire festival.
Police Response and Surveillance
Following the surge in theft complaints, Mumbai Police deployed plainclothes personnel along the immersion routes, detaining and questioning suspects on the spot. Footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras installed along routes in Lalbaug, Chinchpokli, Bharatmata Junction, and Girgaon Chowpatty is being reviewed to identify additional suspects and map their movements.
The Mumbai Police Cyber Cell and Technical Analysis Branch are also using the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal to trace stolen handsets via their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers — a technique that has aided recoveries in past festival-season thefts.
Investigation Ongoing
Police are actively searching for alleged accomplices of those already arrested and are continuing efforts to recover the remaining stolen valuables. This is not the first time Ganesh Visarjan has drawn organised theft networks to Mumbai; the festival's massive, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds along fixed procession routes have historically made it a high-risk window for pickpockets. With investigations under way and CCTV analysis ongoing, more arrests are expected in the coming days.
Point of View
Yet the festival's fixed, predictable procession routes continue to be exploited by organised rings year after year. The deployment of plainclothes officers this time yielded 18 arrests, but the use of women and minors as operatives signals a more sophisticated, harder-to-detect structure. The real accountability question is why CCTV coverage and CEIR-based phone tracing — tools now available to police — were not more proactively used to intercept rather than merely react. A post-festival audit of preventive deployment, not just arrests, is overdue.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people were arrested for thefts during Ganesh Visarjan 2026 in Mumbai?
Mumbai Police arrested 18 people , including two women and one minor, in connection with thefts that took place during the Ganesh Visarjan celebrations on Anant Chaturdashi. The accused were apprehended following a surge in complaints at multiple police stations.
How many theft complaints were filed during Mumbai's Ganesh Visarjan?
Police received more than 200 complaints related to lost and stolen mobile phones. Official cases were registered for 192 lost or stolen phones, and 10 separate FIRs were filed for theft of mobile phones and gold chains.
Which areas in Mumbai saw the most thefts during Ganesh Visarjan?
Thefts were reported across Lalbaug , Parel , and Girgaon Chowpatty . Organised gangs particularly targeted the immersion procession of Lalbaugcha Raja in central Mumbai, one of the most heavily attended stretches of the festival route.
How is Mumbai Police tracing the stolen mobile phones?
The Mumbai Police Cyber Cell and Technical Analysis Branch are using the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal to track stolen handsets through their IMEI numbers . So far, 14 smartphones have been recovered from the arrested accused.
Were the theft gangs from Mumbai or from outside the state?
According to police, the gangs comprised both local members and suspects from outside Maharashtra. Investigators noted the use of women and minors in some of the thefts, indicating an organised structure rather than opportunistic crime.
