The allure of social media fame has led some youths down a criminal path. One such incident has unfolded in Surat where a group of four young men, desperate to gain popularity on social media, resorted to theft. The youths, in an attempt to create impressive reels on their social media platforms, required fashionable clothing, expensive watches, and money. They stole these items, including cash and jewelry, from a bungalow in the Bharthana area. The four accused have since been apprehended, with police seizing Rs 22 lakh in cash, five mobile phones valued at Rs 4,78,000, and gold jewelry worth Rs 28,77,100.
The theft took place on June 30, 2023, at a bungalow known as Hina, house number 145 in Bharthana, within the jurisdiction of the Althan police station in Surat. The burglars fled the scene post the crime, prompting the homeowner to lodge a theft complaint the following day. This set the investigation into motion, with authorities first examining CCTV footage from various locations.
Upon reviewing the CCTV footage, the police identified a familiar face, a man named Bholasingh, previously arrested on theft charges. The police cross-checked Bholasingh's record, acquiring his mobile number and home address. Despite their efforts to contact Bholasingh, his phone was off and his home unoccupied.
In their search for Bholasingh, the police received a tip that he had traveled to Uttar Pradesh to offload some goods. Acting on this information, an Althan police team was dispatched to Uttar Pradesh. On July 5, the team arrested the four suspects - Vimal Singh alias Bholasingh Thakur, Bunty Thakur, Binukumar Kevat, and Sajjan Kevat - in Moosanagar, Kanpur.
The subsequent interrogation and search yielded additional stolen cash and jewelry. The total value of recovered items, including Rs 22 lakh in cash and the gold and silver jewelry, amounted to Rs 28,77,100. During questioning, the accused confessed to the theft, revealing their desire for social media fame as the motive behind their crime. They stated their need for quality clothing, watches, and money to produce engaging reels, leading them to commit theft.
Previously, Bimal Singh alias Bholasingh Thakur had been implicated in two cases at Surat's Khatodara police station, and one each at Pandesara and Udhna police stations. The investigation into the recent incident is ongoing.
