Chamoli police arrested four notorious conmen and seized 13 expensive phones, including an iPhone and Samsung S24 Ultra worth 1.4 million rupees.
Active at Badrinath, Kedarnath , Gangotri, Yamunotri ,An interstate gang was planning to commit a crime in Badrinath after stealing valuables from pilgrims in Kedarnath.
Badrubath, Chamoli Garhwal 
The Char Dham Yatra is currently at its peak in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, where millions of devotees from India and abroad are paying homage to the holy shrines with unwavering faith.
Taking advantage of this huge crowd and faith of the devotees, some anti-social elements were trying to fill their coffers. But the sharp eyes of the Badrinath Police and the Anti-Theft Squad have foiled the plans of these cunning ‘pickpockets’.
The Shri Badrinath Police Station had received confidential information that an interstate pickpocket gang was distracting the devotees by mixing with the crowd and making away with their valuables.
This gang was particularly active in high-traffic areas such as bathing ghats and the temple complex.
On 27/04/2026, a complaint was filed by the plaintiff, Naresh Chandra (resident of Pauri Garhwal), at Kotwali Shri Badrinath. According to the plaintiff, his important documents, including ID, DL, PAN card, ATM, and Rs. 10,000, were stolen during his darshan in the sanctum sanctorum. Based on this complaint, a case was registered at Kotwali Shri Badrinath under FIR No. 01/2026 under Section 303(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Considering the seriousness of the matter and the safety of travelers, Superintendent of Police, Chamoli, Surjeet Singh Panwar, immediately formed a special anti-theft squad. He gave clear instructions that the safety of travelers is a top priority and that modern surveillance, along with manual policing, be utilized to crack down on such gangs.
Based on surveillance and accurate information, the police team identified four suspects, laid a siege, and successfully intercepted two suspicious vehicles near Hanuman Chatti.
Upon a thorough search of the vehicles, a total of 13 high-end mobile phones worth approximately ₹14 lakh were recovered from the possession of the accused.
These included expensive smartphones like 07 iPhones of various models, 03 Samsung S24 Ultra, 01 OnePlus 10R, 01 Redmi Note 13, 01 Realme 13 Pro.
In addition, cash worth ₹58,860 was also recovered from these accused, which was collected from the stolen incidents. The police also seized both the vehicles used in the crime, PB 31 Y 1800 (KIA) and PB 10 HV 4662 (TATA NEXON).
After looting in Kedarnath, they were committing crimes in Badrinath.
During interrogation, it was revealed that the recovered phones were stolen from Kedarnath Dham by these criminals. A case has been registered at Sonprayag (Rudraprayag) police station regarding one of these, an iPhone 15 Pro Max. After committing the crimes in Kedarnath, the gang was planning to pickpocket devotees in Badrinath Dham, but before they could target any more devotees, the Badrinath police arrested them.
Upon successfully solving the case, the Superintendent of Police praised the police team for their excellent work and awarded them a reward of ₹2,500 as an encouragement.
Chamoli Police Appeal:
The police administration appeals to all pilgrims to take special care of their valuables in crowded areas. Immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police personnel or help center. Your safety is our commitment.
Names and Addresses of the Accused:
1. Krishna Kumar, son of Beenu, resident of Balmiki Mohalla, Police Station Mormandi, District Bathinda, Punjab, age 28 years.
2. Diya, wife of Ashun and daughter of Nahar Singh, resident of Mormandi, Bathinda, Punjab, age 25 years.
3. Sunil Kumar, son of Maharaj Singh, resident of village Nagla Sawai Ram Singh, Police Station Kumer, District Bharatpur, Rajasthan, present address: Tehsil Mormandi, Bathinda, Punjab, age 26 years.
4. Lalit Kumar, son of Prabhudayal, resident of village Pur, Tehsil Kot Kasim, Police Station Kot Kasim, District Alwar, Rajasthan, age 31 years.
Police Team
1- Sub-Inspector Navneet Singh (Station Head)
2- Sub-Inspector Prakash Singh Bisht
3- Sub-Inspector Satendra Butola (In-charge of SOG/Anti-Theft Squad)
4- Sub-Inspector Manvendra Gunsay
5- Female Sub-Inspector Saroj Nautiyal
6- Additional Sub-Inspector Bhupendra Prasad
7- Constable Naresh Singh
8- Constable Chandan Singh Nagarkoti (Anti-Theft Squad)
9- Constable Kailash Dimri
10- Constable Sheeshpal (Anti-Theft Squad)
11- Female Constable Manju
12- Female Constable Sapna
13- Constable Jaspal Singh
14- Constable Vikas Singh
15- Constable Sardar Singh
16- Constable Adarsh Ramola
17- Constable Amit Kukreti
18- Constable Salman (SOG)
19- Constable Rajendra Rawat (Surveillance)
Anyone who has lost their mobile phone can identify it through these images. If your phone is among the recovered items, you can submit valid documents (such as a bill or box) to the Sonprayag police station or the Badrinath police station.
