A 53-year-old habitual offender was arrested by the MHB Police and identified as Bapi Ratan Bhattacharya. He was accused of stealing women’s purses and valuables from busy supermarkets repeatedly. Bhattacharya, dubbed a ‘serial snatcher’ by the police, was apprehended in Mira Road on Saturday after weeks of investigation.

In a statement given by the cops to Media, Bhattacharya would exploit the chaos of crowded shopping areas, especially popular D Mart outlets, to discreetly lift purses and bags placed in shopping trolleys. Most of his victims were women distracted while shopping. Investigators revealed that Bhattacharya had been involved in more than 10 similar thefts across various supermarket branches in Mumbai and nearby areas.

His latest crime came to light after a Dahisar West resident filed a complaint stating her purse had been stolen while she was shopping with her two-year-old son at D Mart, Kandarpada. The stolen bag contained cash, ATM cards, and important documents. Within minutes, ₹20,000 was withdrawn from her husband’s account using one of the stolen cards.

Following the complaint, police teams led by DCP Sandeep Jadhav (Zone XI), Senior Inspector Harish Gavli, and PSI Nilesh Patil analysed CCTV footage and used technical surveillance to trace Bhattacharya’s movements. The accused was later arrested from Mira Road. During interrogation, he confessed to multiple thefts carried out in a similar fashion across several D Mart branches.

An officer said, “More than ten cases have been registered against Bhattacharya across Mumbai and nearby police stations. Whenever a theft is reported at a supermarket, his name is the first to come up. We have already solved two pending cases after his arrest.”

The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Information Technology Act, police said, adding that further investigations are underway to identify his other offences and potential accomplices.

Patna, Nov 5: A day before the first phase of voting for the Assembly elections, Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Vinay Kumar on Wednesday said that all preparations for the upcoming polls have been completed to ensure the polls are conducted peacefully and smoothly across the state.

DGP Vinay Kumar said the state police and administration are fully committed to maintaining law and order during the election process. He also appealed to the youth of Bihar to strengthen democracy by actively exercising their right to vote.

Speaking to Media, DGP Vinay Kumar said, “All preparations for the elections have been completed to conduct the polls peacefully. I also want to urge the youth of Bihar to come forward and make democracy stronger by using their voting rights responsibly.”

The DGP warned that anyone found involved in creating violence or any kind of disturbance during the polling process would face strict legal action.

“If anyone is found involved in violence or undesirable activity, they will not be spared. FIRs are being registered against all such offenders because no one is above the law,” he told Media.

Kumar further urged young voters not to be misled by anti-social elements.

“I request the youth not to fall into the trap of those who want to disrupt peace. Strengthen democracy by voting. The administration stands firmly with the people. If anyone faces any problem while casting their vote, they can directly contact us. Our helpline numbers have been made public for this purpose,” he added.

When asked about the FIR filed against Union Minister Lalan Singh for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct, the DGP said, “The Model Code of Conduct is known to everyone. If anyone disobeys it, an FIR is filed against them. The entire police and administrative team are working to ensure its strict implementation.”

Highlighting the preventive measures taken by the police, Kumar said, “If anyone attempts to create an undesirable situation or engage in violence, they will be arrested under preventive detention laws and released only after signing a bond. This year alone, around two lakh people have been arrested under such preventive measures.”

He added that special attention has been given to ensuring adequate deployment of security forces.

“Earlier, 1,500 companies of security personnel were allotted for the two phases of the elections. In the past six to seven days, an additional 150 companies of police personnel have been deployed, mainly in the districts going to polls in the second phase. The Dial 112 emergency service will remain fully functional, and citizens facing any issues can reach out immediately. Our social media monitoring cells are also active to track and counter misinformation,” he said.

The DGP also revealed that the police have taken strong action against those involved in criminal activities related to the elections.

“Anyone involved in criminal acts that attempt to disrupt the election process will face a speedy trial. In the past 25 to 30 days, around 800 accused individuals have been arrested. We will ensure that their cases are prioritised and convictions are achieved within two months. The Election Commission of India has also directed that such cases be given top priority,” he noted.

Reiterating his appeal to voters, Kumar said, “I appeal to every voter in the state to come out and vote without fear. Bihar is the mother of democracy, and it is our responsibility to protect its dignity. The youth must play a leading role in maintaining peace and harmony. If anyone notices anti-social activities, they should inform the authorities immediately. Strict action will be taken against those trying to disturb peace or spread violence.”

He further added that a few incidents of disturbances had been recorded, and the CID was investigating them.

“Such anti-social elements are being identified through videography. After the election, they will be sent to jail. Those who misuse weapons will face strict punishment. No one will be spared if they think they can escape by indulging in such acts,” Kumar added.

The voting for the Bihar Assembly elections will be held in two phases — November 6 and November 11, and the counting is scheduled for November 14. After the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the 243-member Assembly, the Model Code of Conduct is currently in force across the state. Polling will be conducted in 121 constituencies in the first phase and 122 constituencies in the second phase.

Gold Coast, Nov 5: Former batting great Shane Watson has praised India opener Shubman Gill for maintaining consistency in his batting and stated it won’t take him long to adapt across different formats. He described the opener as a ‘ridiculously talented’ batter with amazing technique.

While Gill remains a key figure across formats, his T20I performances since returning to the format in September 2025 reveal a worrying trend, as he has scored just 170 runs in ten innings at an average of 24.14 and a strike rate of 148.24.

In the ongoing Australia tour, he is struggling, having scored 37 not out, 5, and 15 in the first three games of the five-match series.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, Watson reflected on how challenging it is for a modern team batter to go through the phase of frequently changing formats and said, “It definitely is a challenge and the more you do it, the better you get at really understanding the little adjustments that you have to make to your technique, to your game plan, your mindset around each format to be able to then get into the best version of you every time you have to make that adjustment.”

The fourth T20I will be a historic game, as it will be the first time India and Australia play at the Carrara Oval (formerly known as the People’s First Stadium) in Gold Coast.

Watson expressed excitement about this stadium hosting a major event and said, “It’s an amazing opportunity for the Gold Coast to be able to show off its incredible natural beauty. For the Indian team to be able to come here, for the Gold Coast to be able to get a game of this calibre, is something very special to the Gold Coast community. So I’m sure the players and the Indian fans who have made their way here will certainly enjoy the tournament.”