VIJAYAWADA: Women gangsters are proactive in committing offences during the ongoing Krishna Pushkarams in Vijayawada. About 48 women were among 115 criminals who were nabbed by the Vijayawada city police over the last eight days of Pushkarams.
In all, 115 belonging to 20 professional criminal gangs who specialised in chain snatching, chain cutting, bag lifting and attention diversion during mass gatherings were arrested by the police. The accused were all members of inter-state gangs belonging to Odisha, West Bengal, New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
There are specific women gangs, who become active during festivals. They get into crowd and sit next to pilgrims and try to strike a conversation with them and build trust by using words that they will take care of bags while pilgrims are taking bath. Later, they escape with the booty.
Police commissioner Gautam Sawang told reporters that 49 cases had been registered and Rs. 16.51 lakh worth property was lost during Pushkarams.