In a brazen daylight robbery, a 46-year-old man disguised as a food delivery executive from Swiggy snatched a gold chain from a senior citizen in Vadodara. The accused, identified as Kishor alias Ajay Machhi, was arrested a day later in Bharuch, where he had fled to evade capture.
The Modus Operandi: A Disguised Threat
The incident occurred on Friday evening in the Akota area of Vadodara. 74-year-old Hasmukh Patel was sitting in his villa's courtyard when a man wearing the signature orange Swiggy delivery T-shirt arrived at his gate, holding a parcel. As Patel approached to collect the delivery, the impersonator swiftly snatched the gold chain from his neck and fled before the elderly man could even unlock the gate.
Police investigations revealed that this was not an isolated act. According to Police Inspector V A Dodiya of Bharuch C-Division police station, Machhi had been specifically targeting senior citizens using this parcel delivery ruse. He had recently adopted the guise of an e-commerce or food delivery agent to gain easy access and trust.
A Statewide Criminal Record Unveiled
After committing the crime in Vadodara, Machhi immediately fled to Bharuch town. His luck, however, ran out on Friday night when Bharuch police, acting on a tip-off, apprehended him. An initial probe uncovered a long and troubling criminal history.
Machhi has close to 28 cases of theft and chain snatching registered against him at various police stations across Gujarat. His criminal record spans multiple districts including Gandhinagar, Anand, Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Kheda, and Junagadh, with offences dating back to 2005.
His criminal activities have previously led to his detention under the stringent Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act, 1985, resulting in time spent at Porbandar Jail. Police also noted that to avoid the financial blow of vehicle confiscation, Machhi had recently begun using rented two-wheelers to commit his crimes.
Failed Attempt and Police Action
Interestingly, the arrest in Bharuch followed an unsuccessful attempt by Machhi just a day before the Vadodara snatching. On Thursday evening, he had approached another senior citizen at her home in Bharuch, dressed as a delivery agent, but failed to commit the offence.
"He dressed up as the delivery agent of Swiggy… On January 1, he made a similar attempt in Bharuch town but was unsuccessful. He then went to Vadodara and committed the offence. He had returned to Bharuch on Friday night in a bid to escape arrest in Vadodara," explained Inspector Dodiya.
Police Inspector DV Baldaniya of Akota Police station confirmed that the process to seek Machhi's custody through a transfer order has been initiated. The accused is currently held at the Bharuch C-Division police station, awaiting legal proceedings for his latest crime.
