Lutyens’ Delhi shoppers were their targets. Their cover? Selling clothes

On August 31, an Indian woman was shopping for clothes with a group of foreigners at Kashmiri Shawl Emporium on Janpath Road in Delhi. She took out her purse from her bag while speaking to shopkeepers, leaving it open on a table. A woman in an orange salwar suit, posing as another customer, quietly approached her. She reached into the open bag and stole the purse, quickly slipping it under her dupatta.

The victim was Bindiya Sisodiya, 34, and her accomplices were Neelam, 40, and Kaali, 40. They exchanged glances and fled the scene, leaving the third associate outside. The victim realized her purse was missing only after selecting a shawl and reaching into her bag. She raised an alarm, and the shopkeepers informed the police. CCTV footage revealed the theft's progression.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Sachin Sharma formed a team under Inspector Sukhbir Singh's supervision to investigate the case. The team, including Sub-Inspector Divya Dagar, Head Constables Hari Singh, Naurang, and Lalit, examined CCTV footage from over 100 cameras at the shop and nearby locations, leading to multiple raids in Chilla Village near Mayur Vihar, 11 km from Connaught Place.

After a night of investigation, the women were arrested on September 3. Police recovered the stolen purse from a corner of their rented room. The women claimed they were selling clothes and planned to stay in Delhi for three to four months to earn money. However, police alleged that the women were part of a syndicate involved in theft, targeting women tourists and others in upscale markets.

They lived in rented rooms in Chilla Village and Sarai Kale Khan, telling landlords they planned to stay for three to four months. The women traveled with minimal belongings, using basic phones to avoid tracking. They moved through Delhi, targeting rich women carrying cash or jewelry. Police had been tracking the trio since 2024 after they committed a similar theft outside a shop.

Deliberate searches led them to Bindiya, Neelam, and Kaali, who were arrested and taken into custody.