Pramesh S Jain
They boarded in flight to rob mobile phones at ongoing IPL match in Bengaluru and landed in Cubbon Park police net .
The M.Chinnaswamy Stadium mobile phone theft case during the Tata IPL 2026 match has led to the arrest of 13 persons,including nine juveniles in conflict with law, with the police recovering a total of 75 stolen devices.
The accused has been identified as,Shubham Kumar@Mukhiya,Sohan Kumar,Sanjeeth Kumar,Eshal Kumar.
Those arrested from the “Sahibganj gang” for the mobile thefts in Chennai were Rajkumar Noniya, 25,Akash Noniya,24,Vishal Kumar Mahto,24,Gobind Kumar Noniya,23,Sonu Kumar Chauhan,19,Dev Kumar Noniya, 20,and Bittu Kumar Singh,18.
The thefts were reported during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match held on March 28 within the limits of the Cubbon Park Police Station.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner,Seemant Kumar Singh said The operation was carried out under the supervision of Akshay M.Hakey,Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division),with guidance from Priyadarshini Ishwar Sanikoppa.The team was led by Police Inspector Devendrappa K.S.along with station staff.
As on March 31,one accused and three juveniles were first apprehended,leading to the recovery of 21 mobile phones.
The adult accused was produced before a court and taken into police custody,while the juveniles were sent to a government observation home by the Juvenile Justice Board.
Further investigation on April 2 led to the apprehension of six more juveniles,who were also produced before the board and sent to an observation home.
On April 3,police interrogated four persons in custody and recovered an additional 70 stolen mobile phones along with five devices used in committing the offence, taking the total recovery to 75 phones.
Three accused were subsequently remanded to seven days of police custody.The investigation is ongoing.
Organised ‘Sahibganj gang’ angle:
Police investigations have revealed that a group of minors, along with an adult handler, were part of an organised interstate network known as the “Sahibganj gang,”originating from Jharkhand.
The juveniles,reportedly from the Tinpahar region of Sahibganj district, were brought to Bengaluru and paid around Rs.5,000 each to steal phones in crowded areas.
The alleged handler,identified as Shubham Kumar (26), is said to have coordinated the operation, including travel, accommodation, and logistics.
The minors were transported via a mix of flights, trains, and road routes, with strict targets assigned for the number of phones to be stolen.
Police sources said the gang has been active since around 2012 and operates across major cities during large public events.
There are also concerns that stolen phones could be diverted for cybercrime activities, similar to operations linked to Jharkhand’s Jamtara region.
Wider network under scanner
Investigators suspect the same network was involved in similar thefts during IPL 2025 in Bengaluru and Chennai, where dozens of mobile phones were stolen during match days.
A police team has been sent to Chennai to gather further details from last year’s probe.
The gang is believed to have targeted not just the stadium but also surrounding crowded zones,including metro stations and entry points,using tactics such as pickpocketing tickets and infiltrating stands.
Police said the swift arrests and recoveries highlight coordinated efforts to crack down on organised theft rackets operating during high-footfall events.
