Lucknow: The Lucknow Police Commissionerate’s team from Aminabad Police Station in the western zone has successfully solved a purse snatching case involving a moving auto-rickshaw and arrested one accused involved in the crime.
The arrested accused has been identified as Deepak Kumar Gautam (around 30), a resident of Kakrabad village under Mal Police Station, Lucknow. Police recovered a stolen Techno Spark Go 1 mobile phone from his possession, which had been snatched during the incident.
According to police officials, the case was registered on November 4, 2025 after a complaint was filed by Ram Harkh, a resident of Bajha village in Sitapur district. He alleged that his daughter was travelling in an auto-rickshaw from Charbagh, Lucknow towards Kaiserbagh, Lucknow when two unidentified motorcycle-borne men snatched her purse from the moving vehicle.
The stolen purse reportedly contained two mobile phones, ₹1,500 in cash and several silver ornaments including bangles, rings, anklets and a broken silver chain. Following the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against unknown persons, and an investigation was launched.
Acting on the instructions of senior officers and under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kaiserbagh, a police team analysed call detail records and technical inputs with the help of the surveillance cell of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (West). During the investigation, the name of Deepak Kumar Gautam surfaced.
The accused was arrested by Aminabad police on March 6, 2026 at around 10:35 PM, and the stolen mobile phone was recovered from his possession. Based on the recovery, an additional section was added to the case.
During interrogation, the accused confessed that he committed the crime along with another accomplice for financial gain. He told police that they spotted the victim’s bag hanging outside the auto and seized the opportunity to snatch it near a mosque on Latush Road. Later, they went to a deserted lane where the accomplice kept the bag and handed him one mobile phone and a motorcycle before leaving.
Police said the accused had met his accomplice during labour work and had limited information about him. Efforts are currently underway to trace and arrest the absconding co-accused.
The arrest was made by a police team led by Inspector Sunil Kumar Azad and included Sub-Inspectors Uday Pratap Singh, Rahul Chaudhary and Mrityunjay Singh, along with Constable Rahul Yadav. Further legal proceedings in the case are underway.
