12/03/2026
Caught a Thief Red-Handed (the woman in the photo)
I usually commute to and from my office by a Ramzan bus. Today as well, while returning home from the office in the afternoon, I got on a Ramzan bus. However, the bus driver dropped everyone off on Rampura Bridge and said the bus would not go any further. With no other option, I boarded a Victor Classic bus to go to Kakrail. The bus was extremely crowded. Since there were no seats available, I had to stand.
Three women got on the bus from Abul Hotel area. They stood very close around me on three sides. I thought they were standing that way because of the crowd. Right behind me there was a woman wearing a black burqa. Suddenly I felt like someone had touched my bag, but in that crowd there was no way to check. So I slightly pulled my bag to the front and kept standing.
After getting down from the Shantinagar flyover, when the bus stopped, those three women hurriedly pushed through the crowd and got off the bus. I brought my bag to the front and saw that the zipper was open. My wallet was missing. Suddenly I suspected that the woman in the black burqa might have taken it. I jumped off the bus and ran after her and caught her. She said she didn’t have my wallet. But I felt that she was trying to hide something under the hijab of her burqa.
When I said, “Let me see what’s in your hand,” and tried to pull her hand forward, she threw the wallet onto the road and claimed that it had fallen from my bag.
A young man who had gotten off the bus had noticed the entire incident. He came forward to help me. He also saw her throw the wallet onto the road. In the meantime, one of the three women from the bus came back and tried to pull the thief away while beating her. When the young man tried to stop her, the second woman ran away. By then, a crowd had gathered.
I called 999, and they provided great assistance. Police from Paltan Police Station arrived and took the woman to the station.
Many thanks to the young man from the bus, the representative from the National Emergency Service call center, and the duty officer from Paltan Police Station for their help.
Considering the hassle, I did not file a case. Perhaps, as a responsible citizen, I should have done so. But at that moment, being alone, it seemed better not to get involved in the complications of filing a case.
Everyone please stay alert and stay safe.
