Varanasi. Several incidents of pickpocketing have come to light during the welcome and farewell of Samajwadi Party National President and former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at Babatpur Airport in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. On the arrival of Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday, a large number of party officials, workers and supporters had reached the airport. Meanwhile, many people present in the crowd complained that cash, ATM cards and credit cards were missing from their pockets. An atmosphere of chaos was created on the spot after information about the missing belongings of many people came to light. People were seen searching their pockets and essential items. This incident has raised questions regarding crowd management and security arrangements in political programs.
Actually, Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav had visited Varanasi on Tuesday, 3 November. He had come to meet the family members of the party’s late District Vice President Rajesh Yadav alias Nathu to pay tribute to him and express his condolences. Apart from this, he was also scheduled to meet other party officials and leaders.
There was tremendous enthusiasm among Samajwadi Party workers regarding Akhilesh Yadav’s arrival in Varanasi. Workers had started arriving at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur since morning. Thousands of party supporters had gathered to get a glimpse of their leader and welcome him.
According to media reports, Akhilesh Yadav reached Varanasi airport at around 1.20 pm via charter plane from Lucknow. After he disembarked from the plane, party leaders and officials welcomed him by presenting him with a bouquet and a bodysuit. Supporters raised slogans and also showered flowers in the airport premises.
Amidst this huge crowd, incidents of cash and bank cards going missing from the pockets of some people came to light. It is being told that the crowd during the welcome and farewell was so huge that people were finding it difficult to pay attention to the activities around them. During this time, many people got information about items missing from their pockets.
Some people complained of missing cash, while others said ATMs and credit cards were not available. Concern increased among the workers present there due to the missing belongings of many people simultaneously. People whose cards went missing faced financial loss and also faced problems regarding the security of their bank accounts.
However, detailed official details of the total cash stolen, the exact number of individuals affected and the complaints lodged are not yet known. It is also not clear how many people have given formal complaints to the police regarding these incidents.
Apart from local workers, a large number of party supporters from surrounding areas had also arrived to welcome Akhilesh Yadav. The people present at the airport were excited to meet their leader and get photographs clicked with him. Many workers had brought flowers and garlands. During this period, sloganeering and welcoming continued for a long time.
Akhilesh Yadav also accepted the greetings of the workers. After this he left from the airport as per his scheduled schedule. However, the incidents of pickpocketing that came to light during the welcome program became a topic of discussion.
During Varanasi tour, Akhilesh Yadav reached the residence of late SP leader Rajesh Yadav Nathu in Seer Govardhanpur area. He met the bereaved family members and expressed his condolences. Rajesh Yadav had been an active official of the Samajwadi Party and there was an atmosphere of mourning in the local party organization due to his death.
Apart from this, Akhilesh Yadav had also organized a program to meet senior party leader and former District President Satish Fauji and inquire about his well being. During his stay in Varanasi, he interacted with party leaders and gave his response on various political issues.
During this, Akhilesh Yadav also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party. He criticized the government regarding the development and local problems of Varanasi. He said that if Samajwadi Party government is formed, work will be done towards construction of metro in Varanasi. During his visit, political discussions were also held regarding the upcoming assembly elections and preparations of the party organization.
At the same time, the incidents of pickpocketing at Babatpur Airport have created new concerns regarding the security arrangements. It is normal for a large number of supporters to gather on the arrival of political leaders, but in such a crowd, the security of people’s personal belongings becomes a significant challenge.
According to experts, people need to keep their cash, mobile phones and bank cards safe in highly crowded places. In case a person’s ATM or credit card goes missing, he should immediately contact the concerned bank and get the card blocked, so that the possibility of its misuse can be reduced.
After the Babatpur Airport incident, the question is also being raised as to how the people involved in the alleged incidents of theft among the crowd will be identified. If the footage of CCTV cameras of the concerned places is examined, important information about suspicious activities can be found.
At present, there has been no official confirmation of the arrest of any suspect in the incident or the recovery of stolen goods. Only on the basis of complaints and investigation of the affected people, the situation regarding the loss and the persons responsible for the incident will be clear.
Akhilesh Yadav’s visit to Varanasi was in the news due to the political activities and enthusiasm of the workers.
