A Chennai-based plastic businessman lost ₹2.89 lakh in an ATM card and mobile theft incident during his journey from Gujarat to Rajasthan. The victim, 36-year-old Leelaram Chaudhary, filed a complaint with the Sabarmati Police after an unknown individual stole his mobile phone and ATM cards, subsequently using them for unauthorised transactions.  

The incident occurred on December 30, 2024, while Chaudhary was travelling from Manpur Railway Station to Sabarmati Railway Station. Chaudhary had hired a shared auto-rickshaw for ₹200 to reach the Sabarmati station. The auto already had three occupants – the driver and two men aged between 25 and 30.  

Upon arriving at the railway station around 6.30 pm, Leelaram discovered that his OnePlus mobile phone and two ATM cards one from Kotak Mahindra Bank and the other from the State Bank of India (SBI) were missing. Despite searching thoroughly, he was unable to locate the items.  

The following day, Leelaram checked his bank statements and was shocked to find a series of unauthorised transactions. His Kotak Mahindra Bank account had been drained of ₹2.02 lakh through ATM withdrawals and purchases at jewellery shops, including ₹1.27 lakh spent at Vaibhav Lakshmi Jewellers. Similarly, ₹87,300 was withdrawn from his SBI account. 

Leelaram admitted that the PIN codes for both ATM cards had been written inside his mobile phone cover, which likely enabled the thieves to carry out the fraudulent transactions with ease.  

A senior police official confirmed that a case had been registered at the Sabarmati Police Station and that an investigation was underway. “The team has started tracing the auto-rickshaw involved in the crime. We are also analysing CCTV footage from the railway station and nearby areas to identify the suspects,” the official stated.