Pickpockets had a field day, thanks to a training camp organised by Samajwadi Party in Banda. However, five pickpockets were caught by SP workers when they grew suspicious of their movements. These miscreants were later handed over to the police for further action.
According to the police, a two-day workers’ training camp of the SP began in Banda on Wednesday. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had come to attend the two-day training camp. As soon as Akhilesh Yadav alighted from his car at Circuit House on Wednesday evening, a crowd of party workers gathered around his vehicle to accord him a warm welcome.
Meanwhile, taking advantage of the crowd, some pickpockets started stealing mobile phones and wallets of the workers. Some workers grew suspicious and caught five pickpockets and on searching they found 15 mobile phones and several wallets in their possession. After this, the police were informed and the police took all the pickpockets in their custody. At the same time, the police started investigating the whole matter.
According to party activists, the accused had come with Akhilesh Yadav’s convoy and started raising slogans of ‘Akhilesh Yadav zindabad’. The party workers grew suspicious as the behaviour of these people appeared different from the party workers.
It may be recalled that during the assembly elections in 2022, when Akhilesh Yadav came to Banda, mobile phones and wallets of many party workers were stolen. Surprisingly, the same scene was repeated in Banda.
Regarding the thefts, the circle officer said, “We are interrogating the thieves to gather more information from them. Fifteen mobile phones and several wallets have been recovered from the possession of the arrested thieves.”