Chamoli, September 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Chamoli Police in Uttarakhand have invoked the Gangsters Act against an organised inter-state gang allegedly targeting pilgrims through pickpocketing and cheating during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, with the alleged gang leader arrested from Devprayag.
The accused, identified as 26-year-old Sunil Kumar, a native of Bharatpur in Rajasthan and currently residing in Bathinda, Punjab, was arrested on September 11 following sustained technical surveillance and ground-level intelligence gathering.
Police said the gang exploited the heavy rush of devotees during the Char Dham Yatra to systematically target pilgrims.
The investigation established that the suspects were allegedly operating as an organised inter-state criminal network rather than as an ordinary or loosely connected group.
A case was registered at Kotwali Shri Badrinath on April 27, 2026, under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). As the investigation progressed, police identified links between the accused and a wider network allegedly involved in crimes targeting pilgrims.
Police had earlier arrested four members of the gang — Krishna Kumar, 28, of Bathinda; Diya, 25, of Mor Mandi in Bathinda; Sunil Kumar, 26, of Bharatpur, Rajasthan, currently residing in Bathinda; and Lalit Kumar, 31, of Alwar, Rajasthan.
During interrogation, police allegedly uncovered details indicating that the gang had targeted devotees not only in the Badrinath Dham area but also in Kedarnath Dham.
A separate case relating to similar incidents was registered at Sonprayag police station. According to police, the findings from both cases established the organised and inter-state nature of the gang’s activities.
Chamoli Police subsequently prepared a detailed gang chart and obtained approval from the District Magistrate before initiating proceedings under the Gangsters Act against the gang and its members.
Police teams maintained continuous surveillance of the suspects, combining technical inputs with ground-level intelligence. The coordinated investigation eventually helped trace Sunil Kumar, who was arrested from Devprayag on September 11.
Police said the action would help strengthen the security of pilgrims during the Char Dham Yatra and curb organised criminal activities targeting devotees.
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