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‘Pushed him down, grabbed my bag’: Bengaluru CEO escapes theft attempt in London, says India much safer
Kaushik Mudda, the CEO of Ethereal Machines, said that India is “1000 times safer” than London after facing an attempted luggage theft.
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The co-founder and CEO of a Bengaluru-based startup almost became the victim of luggage theft in London and has since shared his thoughts on the safety standards of the UK capital. Kaushik Mudda, the CEO of deeptech manufacturing startup Ethereal Machines, said in an X post that India is “1000 times safer” than London after his unpleasant experience.
Distraction theft attempt
In an X post shared last night, Mudda revealed how his first day in London was marred by a distraction-based attempted luggage theft.
The Bengaluru CEO said the attempt took place as he got into a cab outside Euston railway station in Central London. Mudda had just put his luggage into the boot of the car and sat down inside when a man appeared at his window, claiming the tyre of the cab was punctured.
(Also read: Businessman Vinod Sekhar attacked in London, wife fights back ‘like a lioness’ to save him)
When Mudda got out, he noticed another man had his hand inside the car boot to steal his luggage. The Indian CEO did not think twice. Recognising the thieves’ tactic of distracting potential victims to steal their belongings, he pushed the thief down and grabbed his luggage.
The thieves ran away, he said in his X post.
“India is safer”
“First night in London - got out of Euston, put my bags in cab’s boot. Sat down, a guy appears claiming the tyre was punctured,” Mudda wrote on X, describing the sequence of events.
“Jumped out & saw another guy whose hand was inside the boot to steal my bag.
“Pushed him down, I grabbed my bag and they ran,” he said.
Mudda reflected on the safety of living in India versus London as he concluded: “India is 1000 times safer.”
(Also read: India's rich feel safer walking in Delhi amid rising thefts in London: Entrepreneur)
According to the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures quoted by a recent BBC report, 12.2% of Londoners personally experienced a crime in the year between October 2024 and September 2025. A separate BBC report also noted that luggage theft at London's King's Cross and St Pancras stations has seen a drop, thanks to a police crackdown on criminal gangs.
Several people in the comments section claimed to have faced similar theft attempts in London. However, Mudda was also subjected to some viciously racist comments.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
