₹7 lakh gold chain snatched in Patna's Kurji; police scan CCTV to nab bike-borne duo
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A motorbike-borne man and woman allegedly snatched a gold chain worth approximately ₹7 lakh from a resident standing outside his home in Patna's Kurji area on Wednesday morning, 30 September, prompting the Digha Police Station to launch an immediate investigation. The incident, which occurred at around 8 am, has renewed concerns about rising street crime in the Bihar capital.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to the victim, he was standing outside his residence when two individuals on a motorcycle pulled up and allegedly yanked the chain from his neck before speeding away. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Digha Police Station. Digha Station House Officer (SHO) Avnish Kumar reached the scene shortly after and spoke directly with the victim to record preliminary details.
SHO Kumar clarified that reports suggesting the chain was snatched at gunpoint were incorrect, describing those claims as inaccurate. 'The matter is under investigation and an FIR will be registered on the basis of the victim's complaint,' he said.
CCTV Trail and Investigation Status
Investigators are currently poring over CCTV footage from the Kurji locality to identify the suspects and reconstruct the escape route taken by the duo. Police are also gathering additional evidence before formally registering a First Information Report (FIR) under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against two unidentified individuals. The FIR is expected once the victim's formal written complaint is received.
Link to Recent Arrests — and Why Police Say There Is None
The Kurji incident comes just days after Kankarbagh Police arrested seven individuals allegedly connected to a series of chain-snatching cases in that part of the city. Among those detained was a pair reportedly referred to by police as 'Bunty-Babli'. However, investigators have explicitly stated that no connection has been established between the Kankarbagh arrests and Wednesday's Kurji snatching. The two cases are being treated as separate matters.
A Wider Pattern of Street Crime in Patna
This is not an isolated event. In recent months, chain-snatching and other motorcycle-facilitated street crimes have been reported with increasing frequency across Patna. Notably, the alleged involvement of women as pillion riders has emerged as a specific tactical concern for police. According to officials, a mixed-gender pair on a motorcycle tends to attract less suspicion than two men, potentially complicating identification efforts during and after such incidents. The latest case underscores a pattern that residents and law enforcement in the Bihar capital have been grappling with through 2024 and into 2025.
Police say the investigation is active and that further action will follow once all evidence — including the CCTV trail — has been reviewed.