Bharat Jodo Yatra draws crowds, pickpockets too

An officer of Karamana police station said incidents of pickpocketing were reported in areas which the yatra passed through a day agoCon

Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' here not only drew thousands to the procession and to catch a glimpse of party leader Rahul Gandhi, but also attracted pickpockets for whom the large crowd would have appeared as a veritable honeypot.

An officer of Karamana police station said incidents of pickpocketing were reported in areas which the yatra passed through a day ago and on Monday, prompting the law enforcers to examine CCTV footage of the places where the crimes occurred.

"From the CCTV footage, a four-member gang was identified. They were not part of the yatra. Not sure if they were from Tamil Nadu or if they were behind the reported incidents of pickpocketing," the officer said. When people congregate in such large numbers, pickpockets are sure to come, he added.

Nevertheless, officers in plainclothes have been deployed to keep a watch on the situation, he said.