Elderly women swindle many in Sikh procession

LUCKNOW: Three women in their mid-50s joined unsuspecting devotees in a Sikh procession carrying the Guru Granth Sahib and stole cash and jewellery of the participants all along the way from Punjab.
The procession was carrying the holy book from Guru Nanak’s birthplace Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and was traversing several states.
The women had joined in Punjab and committed the crime all through the way till their luck ran out in Lucknow.A devotee caught them red-handed and handed them over to the police.
Identified as Seeto (55), Daani (55) and Sukhvinder (40), the Ludhiana natives are part of a gang which operates in crowded places, particularly religious congregations. A hand-held metal cutter and Rs 6,000 cash were recovered from their possession.
Alambagh sub-inspector Rai Bahadur said they were caught while trying to steal gold bangles of an elderly devotee in the yatra. More than 30 people in the yatra have lodged complaints of purse, phone and jewellery theft so far. They all were travelling in a car along with the yatra and had other accomplices to pass over stolen goods.
“As a result, we could not recover much from their possession,” said Bahadur.
He added that investigations had revealed that besides being experts in pickpocketing and stealing mobile phones, the women were masters of cutting gold bangles and chains worn by women while holding hands with them or engaging in conversation.
Mandeep Singh, who caught them trying to steal his grandmother’s bangles, said the women did not lead to any suspicion because of their appearance.
“I was shocked to know they were thieves,” he said.