SRINAGAR: Police have arrested two persons and recovered seven pairs of gold earrings in connection with a series of alleged gold ornament theft and snatching cases involving elderly women in and around Sopore town, officials said on Wednesday.
The arrests were made during the investigation into FIR No. 192/2026 registered at Police Station Sopore under Section 309(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The case was registered after a woman from Seelo alleged that an unidentified person took her towards Amargarh, threatened her with a knife and forcibly snatched her gold earrings.
Police said a detailed investigation involving CCTV footage analysis, technical inputs, field verification and questioning of suspects led to the identification and arrest of Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, son of Abdul Majeed Bhat and a resident of Haripora, Langate, Handwara.
The stolen earrings in the case were subsequently recovered at his instance, police said.
Further questioning of the accused led investigators to examine his alleged involvement in other similar cases, including FIR No. 207/2025 under Section 304(2) BNS and FIR No. 55/2026 under Sections 304(2)/351(2) BNS, both registered at Police Station Sopore.
According to police, the accused allegedly targeted elderly and vulnerable women by posing as someone who could help them avail benefits under government welfare schemes. After gaining their confidence, he would allegedly persuade them to remove and hand over their gold ornaments before fleeing with the jewellery. In some cases, force or intimidation was allegedly used.
During further recovery proceedings, seven pairs of gold earrings were recovered. Police said some of the ornaments have been linked to registered cases, while the remaining items have been seized for identification and verification.
Police also arrested Sayed Ahmed Khan, son of Munna Khan, a goldsmith from Sangrama, for his alleged role as a receiver of stolen property. His alleged links with other similar incidents are being investigated.
Further investigation is underway to establish the accused’s involvement in other cases and identify the rightful owners of the remaining recovered ornaments.
Police advised senior citizens and other residents to remain cautious of unknown persons offering unsolicited assistance and to report suspicious activity to the nearest police station.
