Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Dec 30: A woman passenger has lodged a complaint with the deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Mira Bhayander Zone 1, alleging theft of jewellery and cash worth approximately Rs 15 lac during her bus journey from Mangaluru to Mumbai.
According to the complaint filed by Shoba Castelino, the incident occurred on December 20 while she was travelling with her two minor daughters in an Anand Travels bus (vehicle number GA 08 V 8665) operating on the Padubidri–Mira Road route. She stated that the theft was discovered around 7.20 am during the journey, following which she immediately informed the bus driver and requested that CCTV footage be checked.
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However, the bus staff allegedly informed her that the CCTV device installed in the bus was a dummy camera. She further alleged that when she asked the driver to stop the bus, he refused, and informed her that the bus was then near Belapur. As she was travelling with minor children and was in a state of panic, she continued the journey until the destination.
The complainant alleged that attempts to register a first information report (FIR) at Naya Nagar police station and later at Kanakia police station, both on Mira Road were unsuccessful, with police citing jurisdictional issues. She also alleged that the bus owner bypassed police procedure and sent the digital video recorder (DVR) to a private manufacturer, and later claimed that the CCTV footage was “blank”, raising suspicion of destruction of evidence.
She further stated that despite visiting the DCP office on December 27, she was directed to another officer, who allegedly refused to accept the complaint citing lack of jurisdiction. The complainant maintained that as per law, a zero FIR can be registered at any police station irrespective of where the offence occurred.
The stolen items listed in the complaint include an 80-gram mangalsutra, three diamond finger rings, two gold finger rings, a six-gram gold chain, a diamond pendant, two pairs of earrings weighing 10 grams, and cash amounting to Rs 12,000. The total value of the stolen items has been estimated at around Rs 15 lac.
The complainant has urged the police to register an FIR, conduct a detailed investigation, including forensic examination of the DVR, and interrogate the bus staff and passengers to recover the stolen property.