- A man snatched a mangalsutra from a woman inside an AIIMS Bhopal lift in 54 seconds
- Police scanned 45 CCTV cameras and analysed footage from the institute and nearby routes
- The accused, Sunil Meena, a nursing student, was arrested in Laharpur in Katara Hills area
Within 54 seconds, a man entered a lift inside AIIMS Bhopal, snatched a mangalsutra from a woman's neck and ran away. A swift police crackdown followed, with 45 CCTV cameras being scanned to identify and arrest the accused within 48 hours.
Varsha Soni, an attendant posted in the gynaecology department, was inside the lift within the institute premises on Sunday evening. Within seconds, 25-year-old Sunil Meena, a third-year nursing student, struck, snatching her mangalsutra and running off before she could react.
The incident was captured in the CCTV camera installed inside the lift. Along with footage from this camera, CCTV footage from the AIIMS premises and all routes leading in and out of the campus were analysed. Based on visuals from the lift, the suspect's video was circulated through social media and WhatsApp groups.
Continuous technical surveillance led police to Laharpur in the Katara Hills area. It was here that Meena, originally from Rajasthan's Baran district, was arrested.
During police questioning, Meena said he had suffered financial losses in online transactions and had taken loans from friends. Under pressure to repay debts and maintain an expensive lifestyle, he allegedly planned the chain snatching.
Investigators also found that the accused wanted money to buy costly mobile phones, cars and meet personal expenses, including spending on his girlfriend.
The mangalsutra was allegedly sold to a jeweller, police said. It was recovered from Pushpraj Soni, who has also been made an accused in the case. The recovered mangalsutra has been seized and produced before the court along with the main accused.
