Mumbai: When the fans were crazy for a glance, hidden in the crowds were some who were waiting for a chance. Even before their idol Shah Rukh Khan came to the Mannat balcony to acknowledge the wishes for his 52nd birthday, they had the show running.
As of Thursday evening, 13 cases of cell phone theft had been registered based on complaints by people from across the country. Some of them had been camping outside the actor’s residence in Bandra since Wednesday afternoon.
Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Deepak Deoraj said that complaints started coming in since Thursday morning.
An officer with the Bandra police said that the police station is filled with victims and the number of complaints is expected to go up by night.
“There are also a large number of people who came to us, but were later unwilling to file an FIR. We have received complaints from around 40 people so far,” the officer said.
The police have started picking up repeat offenders with a history of theft at crowded places. “There could also be people from other cities who saw the opportunity to flick a cell phone better than theirs. With options like Flashers, which can change IMEI numbers, using a stolen cell phone or selling one has become easier,” the officer said.
Like every year, the actor acknowledged the greetings from the balcony. Accompanied by his youngest son AbRam, the actor took a selfie with him, with the crowd in the background. He posted the picture on his Twitter account later in the day. He also took time to respond to tweets by his fans from all over the world.
The Bandra police said that there was ample bandobast outside Mannat since Wednesday. “Occasions which attract a large number of footfalls always witness theft and crimes against women. We have special teams to keep an eye out for such incidents. Even during Ganeshotsav, Deepavali, and the New Year's Eve, our personnel are tasked with focusing on any sign of such crimes,” said an officer with the Mumbai Police.
