Bengaluru, March 31 Police on Tuesday said they have taken into custody a prime accused and several minors involved in conflict with the law, in connection with a series of mobile phone thefts during the IPL match in Bengaluru on March 28.
Police said they seized 21 mobile phones of different brands, valued at Rs 18 lakhs.
The reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), won against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening fixture of IPL 2026, held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on March 28.
"Mobile phones belonging to the public who had come to watch the tournament were stolen. A main accused and several minors involved in conflict with the law have been taken into custody in connection with the case, which is under investigation," the police said in a release.
A total of 21 mobile phones of different brands have been seized from the main accused, it said, adding that "several of his (main accused) associates and minors have been subjected to inquiry. The investigation is ongoing."
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh told reporters that after the IPL match, complaints were received about mobile phone thefts in and around the stadium area, and cases have been registered regarding these thefts.
"The police's crime squad immediately swung into action and apprehended a gang based on CCTV and technical evidence, and have recovered 21 mobile phones from them," he said.
More information is being gathered from those taken into custody, and efforts are on to apprehend others involved, he said, "those involved in the crime had come from other states and stayed at a hotel and committed the thefts...it is being investigated whether they had come for this purpose (mobile theft) alone and whether they were involved in similar incidents in other places."
A total of 29 cases have been registered, he further said, adding that investigations are on to determine if they were involved in similar crimes at other places, including other match venues.