Miscreants posing as baraatis loot gift items, cash worth Rs 5 lakh from mandap in Bhubaneswar

Marriage season is around the corner and the hosts need to be careful as miscreants posing as baraatis might decamp with valuables from marriage mandaps. The advisory assumes significance as miscreants have decamped with gift items and cash worth Rs 5 lakh from a mandap at Badagada area in Bhubaneswar.

The video of the entire loot has been captured in the CCTV cameras installed at the mandap.

“The miscreants entered the venue from the main gate when the baraatis entered the mandap. They were dressed nicely as other baraatis and escaped from another side by scaling the boundary wall,” said the mandap manager.

The manager further said that the backside gate was open as there was a provision for washing utensils. In the video, it can be seen that a boy was sitting behind two women from the groom's side. The boy was dressed nicely and also wore a headgear just like other baraatis. The accused boy lifted the particular bag which contained all the gifts and other valuables even though two other bags were also kept on a chair.

Within a few seconds, the boy lifted a bag containing gifts, ornaments, and cash received from the bride’s side.

Former Police official, Sarat Sahu said, “Such incidents are not new during marriages, particularly in urban areas where people do not have information about invitees.”

Sahu further said that not only during marriages, loot incidents have also increased in apartments in Bhubaneswar.