6 arrested for stealing 2,200 medals meant for marathon

Six people were arrested for stealing around 2,200 medals from the Tata Mumbai Marathon. The accused mistook the medals for gold and stole them from various tents at the event.

Mistaking them for gold, six people stole around 2,200 medals kept for Tata Mumbai Marathon at various tents at Bombay Gymkhana ground, police said, adding all of them were arrested on Sunday night.

HT Image

When the event was underway on Sunday morning, a patrolling team from Azad Maidan police station saw a few labourers, who were hired by the organisers, were carrying scrap in sacks, a police officer said.

“The team suspected some foul play as the labourers tried to avoid them. A search revealed that the sacks contained medals,” the officer said.

The police then informed the organisers and a complaint was lodged by one of their representatives, Nitesh Shiroya. A case was registered under sections 379 (theft) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Investigations found that of the total 162 boxes containing medals, 22 boxes with around 2,200 medals were missing from the lot.

The six, including the labourers and their friends, have been identified as Vignesh Tevar, 20, Naseer Shaikh, 24, Piramal Volenteer, 25, Ganesh Salunkhe, 24, Rohit Vijay Singh, 23, and Amir Shaikh, 26.

As many as 62 medals, valued around ₹1.38 lakh, were recovered from them, the police officer said.

“The labourers were engaged in installing tents and fixing banners. The accused thought the medals were made of gold and decided to steal them,” said Pravin Munde, deputy commissioner of police, zone 1.